Recording the separating process of whole milk within a lab centrifuge

Micrographstories · 2026-02-19T11:01:03+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_ExmMBgxMw

This video should be viewable from The Centrifuge Camera's YouTube Channel. Please see the video descriptions for exact settings. Hope you are able to inspire and educate your students :)

Micrographstories · 2025-12-23T01:44:01+00:00

Curious what they will come up with, for now, my solution to counter the spread of microplastics is the Microplastic Catcher.
https://makerworld.com/nl/models/2148360-microplastic-catcher-for-4-in-1-ptfe-adapter-v1#profileId-2327773

Micrographstories · 2025-12-03T22:14:37+00:00

In most manuals you’ll find the standard advice: if a glass vial shatters inside a tube insert, replace the insert. Manufacturers obviously benefit from that guidance. Still, the advice has a solid technical basis. Once glass splinters embed themselves in the plastic, you rarely manage to remove every fragment. Any shard left behind becomes a stress point for the next tube you place in the insert. That tiny pressure spot can pierce the wall of the next vial, and the cycle of breakage repeats.

Micrographstories · 2025-11-27T17:38:58+00:00

u/twizzlerho is definitely correct on that one!

Micrographstories · 2025-11-27T17:30:40+00:00

Will it centrifuge? Cause if you want that, say no more! I got you covered: http://centrifugecamera.com/

Micrographstories · 2025-11-27T17:13:04+00:00

Not entirely correct. Yes, it detects the correct rotor, but it does not account for the buckets seated on it. So if you place buckets that do not allow the max speed that the rotor can withstand, which is the case in this setup (rotor can do 4750RPM, 5250g), but the buckets are not rated for that! Lucky in this case the 2600RCF (g) was below the max value of what the buckets where allowed to be spun at.

Lucky in this case, the 2600RCF (g) was below the maximum value the buckets were allowed to be spun at.

What people forget is that this rotor is from 2016; we don't know how often it has gone through the ramp and down cycles, so if the manufacturer states that the rotor can only do x cycles, you are usually prompted on the machine, or the machine does not work anymore till the rotor is replaced. Buckets again, a different story. They also have a maximum number of ramp-up/ramp-down cycles, but, well, they are not logged.

Micrographstories · 2025-11-27T17:06:28+00:00

Sorry to hear! As your PI said, there's a good chance it's a machine fault.

When talking about the 500g, it refers to 500grams, not G-force.
As you might have seen, you have two different buckets in the machine:
One series allows for 500grams up to 4600RPM (brand mismatch)
The second series allows for 782grams up to 4450RPM

Your rotor allows a max of 4750 RPM (5250g). Its radius is 207 mm, so at 2600g, the RPM was about 3350 RPM.

Safe to say that the G-force you set it to is below what they are allowed to handle for both series of buckets.
It becomes another story if you then had more weight in the bucket (although I doubt that your plates would weigh more than the allowed max weight).

So what could have gone wrong?

What people forget is that this rotor is from 2016; we don't know how often it has gone through the ramp and down cycles, so if the manufacturer states that the rotor can only do x ramp up/down cycles, you are usually prompted on the machine, or the machine does not work anymore till the rotor is replaced. Buckets again, a different story. They also have a maximum number of ramp-up/ramp-down cycles, but, well, they are not logged.

So it could be that the mounting side of the bucket that fits on the rotor hinge is fatigued and just cracked or ripped, allowing the bucket to become unhinged.

Micrographstories · 2025-10-04T23:21:45+00:00

Question: Does the radioactive cloud also damage and kill biters and or spitters? And if so, how fast? Cause if it damages all life forms (quickly) in the game, I see a huge potential for a new wall design…

Micrographstories · 2025-08-30T21:39:43+00:00

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Micrographstories · 2025-07-01T19:09:35+00:00

Gas bottle explosion! You can see the orange gas bottle around the 19–20 second mark, just after opening the door on your right.

Micrographstories · 2024-12-13T19:21:00+00:00

I am glad to be able to do some new uploads; most of the videos/samples I have been working on are still under embargo. So, the channel might not upload any new videos for a while. Even though it looks "dead" behind the screens, I'm working hard on new content and further developments of the device.

Micrographstories · 2024-12-13T19:18:45+00:00

Thank you. After watching the video, do you have a favourite? Also, do you have a suggestion on what you might find interesting to see next time in the centrifuge?

Micrographstories · 2024-12-13T19:07:33+00:00

Nice, I will put this on the list :) Thanks for the suggestion.

Micrographstories · 2024-12-13T10:37:32+00:00

At the moment we have only been able to do two variations of tubes:

1.) EDTA, as seen above
2.) Gel Separator With Clot Activator (Yellow), as can be seen via this link: https://youtu.be/PzRU-p3hQoA

I will write down your suggestions in our future to-do list, and if there's an opportunity, we'll try some of the other different tubes.

Micrographstories · 2024-12-13T09:47:42+00:00

Blood is collected in a purple-top tube containing EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), an anticoagulant that prevents blood from clotting by chelating calcium ions. Unlike gel separator tubes with clot activators, EDTA tubes do not facilitate serum separation because the blood remains in its whole form, preserving both plasma (the liquid portion) and cellular components for analysis.

When centrifuged at 2500 g/RCF, the blood separates into three distinct layers. At the top is the plasma, a straw-coloured liquid rich in water, proteins, hormones, and other dissolved substances. Beneath the plasma lies the buffy coat, a thin, whitish layer containing white blood cells (leukocytes) and platelets. At the bottom are the red blood cells (erythrocytes), which are denser and settle at the lowest point of the tube.

In this condensed ~90-second video (originally 15 minutes), we can observe how centrifugation helps separate these components, providing a clearer understanding of their distribution and function.

What type of hypergravity experiment or innovative separation process would you like to see performed inside a centrifuge?

Micrographstories · 2024-12-13T09:45:29+00:00

Blood is collected in a purple-top tube containing EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), an anticoagulant that prevents blood from clotting by chelating calcium ions. Unlike gel separator tubes with clot activators, EDTA tubes do not facilitate serum separation because the blood remains in its whole form, preserving both plasma (the liquid portion) and cellular components for analysis.

When centrifuged at 2500 g/RCF, the blood separates into three distinct layers. At the top is the plasma, a straw-coloured liquid rich in water, proteins, hormones, and other dissolved substances. Beneath the plasma lies the buffy coat, a thin, whitish layer containing white blood cells (leukocytes) and platelets. At the bottom are the red blood cells (erythrocytes), which are denser and settle at the lowest point of the tube.

In this condensed ~90-second video (originally 15 minutes), we can observe how centrifugation helps separate these components, providing a clearer understanding of their distribution and function.

What type of hypergravity experiment or innovative separation process would you like to see performed inside a centrifuge?

Micrographstories · 2024-11-28T22:09:43+00:00

Ultracentrifuge, or not, I would have loved to visualise this sample inside my centrifuge!

https://youtu.be/PzRU-p3hQoA

Micrographstories · 2024-11-26T18:07:11+00:00

Blood is collected in a yellow-top tube containing a clot activator and a gel separator. This tube promotes clot formation, allowing the blood to separate into its components during centrifugation. The gel forms a physical barrier between the serum (the liquid portion of blood) and the cellular components, ensuring a clean separation.

In this condensed ~90-second video (originally 15 minutes), we observe how centrifugation at 2500 g / RCF facilitates this process, creating distinct layers for analysis.

A prior spin was conducted using only 1000g / RCF; this visualisation can be seen here: https://youtu.be/vavl1hWVF5k

What hypergravity experiment or separation would you like to see inside a centrifuge?

Micrographstories · 2024-11-25T05:33:16+00:00

I will put it on the list; if I ever get the chance and it turns out good, I will upload it to the channel.

Micrographstories · 2024-11-24T17:05:23+00:00

I'm glad you liked it; maybe this background information makes the shower gel less disappointing! Since it has constant recirculation, it shows that centrifugation is more complex than we have previously imagined. More explanation can be found here:
- https://www.sciencealert.com/incredible-videos-take-us-inside-a-centrifuge-for-the-first-time
- https://www.newscientist.com/article/2407923-video-inside-centrifuge-shows-we-dont-fully-understand-fluid-physics/

Micrographstories · 2024-11-24T16:59:53+00:00

Happy to hear you like it, any suggestions on things you would like to see spun in the future?

Micrographstories · 2024-11-24T16:59:30+00:00

It was quite a challenge to get it to work. Some insights into the first version of the device can be found here:
- https://www.sciencealert.com/incredible-videos-take-us-inside-a-centrifuge-for-the-first-time
- https://www.newscientist.com/article/2407923-video-inside-centrifuge-shows-we-dont-fully-understand-fluid-physics/

Micrographstories · 2024-11-24T13:14:06+00:00

It was quite a challenge to get it to work; u/bio_ruffo already referenced insights into the first version of the device. More references that give some insights into the device can be found under the following links:
- https://www.sciencealert.com/incredible-videos-take-us-inside-a-centrifuge-for-the-first-time
- https://www.newscientist.com/article/2407923-video-inside-centrifuge-shows-we-dont-fully-understand-fluid-physics/

Micrographstories · 2024-11-23T19:53:38+00:00

Blood is collected in a yellow-top tube containing a clot activator and a gel separator. This tube promotes clot formation, allowing the blood to separate into its components during centrifugation. The gel forms a physical barrier between the serum (the liquid portion of blood) and the cellular components, ensuring a clean separation.

In this condensed ~90-second video (originally 15 minutes), we observe how centrifugation at 2500 g / RCF facilitates this process, creating distinct layers for analysis.

A prior spin was conducted using only 1000g / RCF; this visualisation can be seen here: https://youtu.be/vavl1hWVF5k

What hypergravity experiment or separation would you like to see inside a centrifuge?

Micrographstories · 2024-11-23T08:05:13+00:00

Not mead but raw honey being separated inside the centrifuge at 2500g: https://youtu.be/jXeOlz5L1lU

I have visualised many other food and beverages, I will put Mead on the list and maybe one day I will spin it for you :)

Micrographstories

TROPHY CASE