Usually preparative super speed laboratory centrifuge's working principle is known as either differential centrifugation or density gradient centrifugation, among which, the differential centrifugation is more commonly used.
The differential centrifugation method used in lab high speed centrifuge works in this way, separating different elements of the sample solution via multi-centrifuge powered gradually differently. Following is the detail operation, firstly fill the centrifuge tube with uniform solution and centrifuge it for a certain time to divide which into liquid supernatant and precipitate; next get rid of the precipitate and centrifuge the liquid supernatant with an increased power so as to get whatever you need. What worth mentioning is that the two centrifugation period must be carefully set to get the needed centrifugation fineness.
Comparatively speaking, the differential centrifugation operates much easier, yet the density gradient centrifugation method comes up with much higher fineness. That is to say, the density gradient centrifugation can separate all element from each up tide and clean. It usually works in two ways, rate zonal and isopycnic. Rate zonal works because that different elements in the solution has different sizes and thus deposition rate while the isopycnic works because of the different density of different elements in the solution.
The gradient shape plays a key role when using density gradient centrifugation. The linear gradient is the most commonly used shape. It can be used to centrifuge protein, enzyme and plant virus, the constant speed gradient shape can be used to centrifuge lipoprotein and the stage-wise gradient can be used to centrifuge whole cell and subcellular.
After centrifuging done by density gradient centrifugation, and zone sample can be collected in different methods, puncturing, siphonage, pressuring and cutting.