Plastic Cuvettes (Visible Range) (CUV )
Plastic Cuvettes (4 sided - Clear) (CUV-4S )
These are disposable cuvettes we sell for our colorimeters and [visible light] spectrophotometers. They are made of polystyrene, which can be damaged by many different types of liquid substances. Examples of common liquids that should NOT be poured into these cuvettes: ketones (acetone, 2-butanone), alkanes (hexanes, heptane), and highly concentrated acids or bases.
Plastic Cuvettes (UV-VIS) (CUV-UV )
These are disposable cuvettes we sell for use with UV-VIS spectrophotometers. They are made of a proprietary plastic, but many of the same liquids can damage these cuvettes as well.
Compatibility of Plastic Cuvettes to Various Liquid Substances
- Poor:Â the cuvette will be damaged with 24 hours (or less) of exposure to the chemical
- Marginal:Â the properties of the cuvette may not change after 24 hours of exposure to the chemical; testing is recommended before use in an experiment
- Excellent:Â the properties of the cuvette are not changed after 24 hours of exposure to the chemical
| Chemical | CUV (polystyrene) | UV-VIS (proprietary plastic) |
|---|---|---|
| Acetic acid (96%) | Poor | Poor |
| Acetone | Poor | Poor |
| Acetonitrile | Poor | Poor |
| Benzene | Poor | Poor |
| Methylethyl Ketone | Poor | Poor |
| Carbon tetrachloride | Poor | Poor |
| Chloroform | Poor | Poor |
| Diethyl ether | Poor | Poor |
| Dimethyl sulfoxide | Marginal | Poor |
| Ethanol | Poor | Poor |
| Formaldehyde (40%) | Poor | Poor |
| Heptane | Poor | Marginal |
| Hexanes | Poor | Excellent |
| Hydrochloric acid (32%) | Marginal | Poor |
| Isopropanol | Marginal | Marginal |
| n-Pentane | Poor | Poor |
| Oleic acid | Poor | Poor |
| Perchloric acid (10%) | Poor | Poor |
| Petroleum ether | Poor | Poor |
| Phenol | Poor | Poor |
| Sodium hydroxide | Excellent | Poor |
| Sulfuric acid | Poor | Poor |
| Trichloroacetic acid | Poor | Poor |
| Trichloroethylene | Poor | Poor |
| Toluene | Poor | Poor |
Quartz Cuvettes available from Vernier
- Quartz Cuvettes (
CUV-QUARTZ ) - Fluorescence/UV Quartz Cuvette (
CUV-QUARTZ-FUV )
If purchasing cuvettes from another company (e.g., BrandTech or Starna), the cuvettes must have a 10 mm path length with a nominal volume of 3.5 mL. The width and length of the cuvette should be 10 mm (this is a standard 1 cm² cuvette). For more information on compatibility of these cuvettes with various liquids, visit the cuvette manufacturer’s web site.