MP Biomedicals Ceramic Sphere 1/4 in. Pack of 1000 Spheres

MP Biomedicals 116540422 Ceramic Spheres – 1/4 in. (6.35 mm), Bulk Pack

The MP Biomedicals 116540422 is a premium, bulk-packaged lysing matrix consisting of heavy-duty 1/4-inch (6.35 mm) ceramic spheres. Formulated from a high-density blend of zirconium oxide and cerium oxide, these banded satellite spheres are chemically inert and incredibly hard. They are specifically engineered for the high-impact mechanical disruption of tough, hard, or brittle biological samples that standard microscopic beads cannot break down. Because their large size relies entirely on concussive impaction rather than frictional shearing, these spheres are highly effective for extracting RNA and high-molecular-weight DNA from difficult matrices while minimizing mechanical degradation. Designed for use in high-powered bead beaters like the FastPrep series, these spheres can be added to 15 mL, 50 mL, or larger grinding vessels for custom bulk sample processing.

Technical Performance and Design

• High-Impact Crushing Force: The massive 6.35 mm size and high specific gravity (5.5 - 6.1) provide immense concussive energy, easily shattering hard matrices like bone, cartilage, and dense plant seeds.

• Impaction vs. Shearing: By utilizing blunt-force impaction rather than sharp-edged shearing (like garnet), these spheres extract nucleic acids with minimal mechanical tearing, preserving the integrity of long-read DNA and delicate RNA.

• Zirconium Oxide Coating: Constructed from approximately 88% ZrO2 and 10% CeO, making them chemically inert, exceptionally hard, and highly resistant to chipping or shedding during high-velocity agitation.

• Customizable Bulk Format: Supplied loose in a bulk pack of 1000, allowing researchers to customize their own grinding tubes (such as Lysing Matrix A and M formulations) based on specific sample volumes and densities.

Product Specifications

• Catalog Number: 116540422 (Often listed as 6540422)

• Matrix Diameter: 1/4 inch (6.35 mm)

• Material: Zirconium Oxide-Coated Ceramic

• Target Samples: Bone, skeletal muscle, heart, lung, hard seeds, spores, and environmental samples.

• Quantity: Pack of 1000 spheres

Key Benefits & Applications

• Forensic & Orthopedic Research: The gold standard for pulverizing bone chips and teeth to access deep-seated cellular material for DNA profiling and protein extraction.

• Agricultural Genomics: Easily breaks down tough seed coats (e.g., corn, soybeans, wheat) and woody stems that would otherwise stall or break standard rotor-stator homogenizers.

• Environmental & Microbiome Studies: Used for breaking open resilient fungal spores and breaking apart dense soil/clay aggregates to release encapsulated microbes.

• Universal Bead Beater Compatibility: Suitable for the MP Biomedicals FastPrep-24 and FastPrep-96 systems (with large-volume adapters), as well as any other commercial bead mill capable of vigorous 3D agitation.

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