The Z216-05-C10 is a 1.0 mL flat-cap cryotube adapter for the Hermle Z216 series 5 mL reaction tube rotor on the Z216-M / Z216-MK high-speed microcentrifuge chassis — sold as a 6-pack. The 5 mL reaction tube rotor accepts 5 mL conical tubes directly, but cryotubes (1.0 mL flat-cap, 1.8 mL round, etc.) have smaller envelopes and require dedicated adapters to seat correctly and balance properly at the rotor's high RCF. The C10 adapter is the flat-cap 1.0 mL cryotube specific format.
Key Specifications
| SKU | Z216-05-C10 |
| Type | Cryotube adapter — 5 mL position → 1.0 mL flat-cap cryotube |
| Pack quantity | 6 adapters per SKU |
| Tube format accepted | 1 × 1.0 mL flat-cap cryotube per adapter |
| Compatible rotor | Z216 5 mL reaction tube rotor (12-position 5 mL fixed-angle on Z216-M / Z216-MK) |
| Compatible chassis | Z216-M, Z216-MK (refrigerated), and -E voltage variants — Z216 family chassis with the 5 mL reaction tube rotor installed |
| Max. operating speed (with adapter + cryotube) | Per the host 5 mL rotor spec — high-speed microcentrifuge RCF range |
| List price | $248 (6-pack) |
Compatibility & When to Order This SKU
Adapter pairing — Z216 5 mL reaction tube rotor only. The Z216-05-C10 is engineered to fit the 5 mL position envelope on the Z216 5 mL rotor. Order this SKU when:
- Adding 1.0 mL flat-cap cryotube workflow to an existing Z216-M / Z216-MK + 5 mL rotor install.
- Cryostorage aliquot prep — when biobank or sample-archive workflows generate 1.0 mL flat-cap cryotube aliquots and centrifugation is part of the prep.
- Replacement adapters if a current set is damaged or worn.
- Mixed-cryotube-format workflows — pair with the Z216-05-C18 (1.8 mL round cryotube adapter) when the lab handles both flat-cap and round cryotube formats.
Cryotube Adapter Format Matters
Cryotube formats vary by manufacturer and intended use:
- Flat-cap cryotubes (e.g., 1.0 mL Nunc, Corning, Thermo screw-cap) — flat-bottom or flat-shoulder geometry; the C10 adapter is dimensioned for this format
- Round-bottom cryotubes (e.g., 1.8 mL skirted external-thread) — different shoulder geometry; require the Z216-05-C18 adapter
Using the wrong adapter risks tube fit problems (tube doesn't seat fully, or rocks within the adapter) and balance problems at the rotor's high-RCF operating range. Confirm cryotube format against the adapter family before ordering.
Application Profile
Biobank cryotube aliquot processing — research biobanks and sample archives that generate 1.0 mL flat-cap cryotube aliquots for cryostorage benefit from in-rotor centrifugation when the workflow includes a settle/spin step before storage transfer.
Cell-line cryopreservation prep — cell-line freezing protocols that use 1.0 mL flat-cap cryotubes for the freeze format; the spin step concentrates cells for resuspension in cryoprotectant before transfer to the freezing container.
Clinical-research aliquot workflows — patient sample aliquoting into 1.0 mL flat-cap cryotubes for downstream cryostorage and analytical batch shipping.
Cross-format Z216 microcentrifuge consolidation — labs running both 5 mL conical tube workflows (no adapter, direct fit on the rotor) and 1.0 mL flat-cap cryotube workflows can use the same chassis + rotor with the C10 adapter for the cryotube runs.
Loading & Balance
Symmetric adapter loading. Pair adapter positions across the rotor by tube mass; all positions in a balanced pair must use matching adapter + tube format. Mixed adapter / non-adapter loading produces mass asymmetry at high RCF.
Cryotube cap confirmation. Cryotube screw caps must be fully seated and torqued before spinning — partial cap seating risks sample loss at high RCF and contamination of the rotor and adapter set.
Adapter seat verification. Confirm each C10 adapter is fully seated in its 5 mL position envelope before loading the cryotube.
Ordering & Configuration
Z216-05-C10 ships as 6 adapters. Cryotubes are operator-supplied (commodity biobank cryotube formats from Nunc, Corning, Thermo, and similar suppliers).
Confirm at quote: rotor pairing (Z216 5 mL reaction tube rotor in inventory), chassis pairing (Z216-M or Z216-MK), cryotube format (flat-cap 1.0 mL confirmed), pack count needed for the workflow, and lead time.
Warranty: 5-Year Hermle warranty (3 years full + 2 years drivetrain) on the adapters.
Z216 5 mL rotor cryotube adapter family:
- Z216-05-C10 (this product) — 1.0 mL flat-cap cryotube adapter
- Z216-05-C18 — 1.8 mL round-bottom cryotube adapter
Match the adapter to the cryotube format. Workflows using both cryotube formats on the same chassis benefit from stocking both adapter SKUs.
