Design and Types of Rotors:

 A centrifuge rotor is the rotating unit of the centrifuge, which has fixed holes drilled at
an angle.
 Test tubes are placed inside these holes and the rotor spins to aid in the separation of
the materials.
 There are three types of centrifuge rotors: swing-bucket, fixed-angle and vertical
rotors.
Swinging Bucket Rotors:
 A swing-bucket rotor usually supports samples ranging in volume from 36 mL to 2.2
mL.
 Swing-buckets can support two types of separations: rate-zonal and isopycnic.
 Swing-buckets are preferred for rate-zonal separations.
 The swinging bucket rotor has buckets that start off in a vertical position but during
acceleration of the rotor swing out to a horizontal position so that during centrifugation
the tube and hence the solution in the tube, is aligned perpendicular to the axis of
rotation and parallel to the applied centrifugal field, the tube returning to its original
position during deceleration of the rotor.
Fixed Angle Rotors:
Fixed-angle rotors are usually used for
pelleting applications to either pellet particles
from a suspension and remove the excess
debris, or to collect the pellet.
In fixed angles the tubes are located in holes in
the rotor body set at a fixed angle between 14°
and 40° to the vertical.
Under the influence of centrifugal field,
particles move radially outward and have only a
short distance to travel before colliding with and
precipitating on the outer wall of the centrifuge
tube.

3. Vertical Tube Rotors:

 They are considered as zero angle fixed
angle rotors in which the tubes are aligned
vertically in the body of the rotors at all
times. (vertical parallel to rotor axis).
 Particles move short distance.
 Time of separation is shorter.
 Vertical rotors are highly specialized. They
are typically used to band DNA in cesium
chloride.
 Disadvantage: pellet may fall back into solution at end of centrifugation