Your Guide to Preventing Cracks and Sample Loss
Have you ever opened the freezer only to find your tube cracked and your sample ruined?
Unfortunately, not all tubes are suitable for frozen storage. Tube damage from freezing or leaking caps often stems from choosing the wrong materials or designs. In this post, we’ll guide you through how to choose the right tube for cryogenic or low-temperature storage, so your samples stay safe and intact.
🔍 Why Do Tubes Crack in the Freezer?
The main culprit is a combination of thermal contraction and material properties. As temperatures drop, materials shrink—and if the tube lacks flexibility, the result is often cracking or bursting.
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Polystyrene (PS) tubes are known for clarity but are very brittle at subzero temperatures and are prone to breaking.
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Polypropylene (PP) tubes retain flexibility and are much better suited for temperatures as low as −80°C.
Planning to store samples in liquid nitrogen (−196°C)? That’s a whole different game—you’ll need specialized cryovials designed specifically for ultra-low temperature use. Standard microtubes and centrifuge tubes are not suitable for this purpose.
🔒 Cap Structure and Seal Integrity Matter
During freezing, contents can expand slightly. This makes snap-cap tubes risky—some may pop open on their own.
Screw-cap tubes, on the other hand, provide a much tighter seal and are preferred for secure storage.
WATSON screw-cap tubes, especially those with O-ring-free leak-resistant designs, offer a solid balance between usability and performance.
✅ WATSON Tubes for Freezer Use
WATSON’s PP tubes are widely trusted for low-temperature storage across a variety of labs.
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Screw-cap microtubes: Ideal for −80°C storage and long-term use.
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15 mL / 50 mL centrifuge tubes: Screw-cap models minimize leakage and ensure structural stability.
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One-piece cap models are also available for even easier handling.
📌 Final Takeaways
Before placing your samples in the freezer, consider the following:
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Choose PP (polypropylene) tubes for cold-resistance.
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Prefer screw caps for leak-proof sealing.
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Match the product to the correct temperature range (e.g., −80°C vs. −196°C).
The right tube makes all the difference—protect your samples, reduce the risk of loss, and store with confidence.