Chrom Tech 96-well microplates are designed to ANSI/SLAS footprint standards, ensuring compatibility with leading microplate readers, liquid handling robots, and automated laboratory systems. Standard plate dimensions are 127.76 mm ± 0.25 mm in length and 85.48 mm ± 0.25 mm in width, which allows consistent platform fit across a wide range of instruments.
Although the external footprint remains standardized, specifications such as height, well geometry, and material composition vary by application. Two of the most important choices in high-throughput analytical workflows are polypropylene deep well plates and 96-well plates with glass inserts.
Mass Spec Quality Polypropylene Deep Well Plates
Chrom Tech polypropylene deep well plates are designed for sample storage, extraction, and preparation in high-throughput analytical laboratories. These mass spec quality plates are molded from 100% virgin polypropylene rather than recycled resin and are manufactured without mold release agents or flow additives that could leach into solvents.
This makes them well suited for LC/MS and related analytical workflows where low extractables and chemical stability are essential. Compared with general-purpose polypropylene plates, analytical-grade polypropylene provides better performance when exposed to solvents such as methanol or DMSO, especially during extraction or evaporation steps carried out directly in the plate.
- Made from 100% virgin polypropylene
- Low extractables for LC/MS compatibility
- Manufactured in a DNase/RNase-free environment
- No inner well edges to support magnetic bead recovery
- Available in working volumes of 350 µL, 1 mL, 1.6 mL, and 2 mL
Volume and Deep Well Plate Formats
Although all 96 deep well plates share the same ANSI/SLAS footprint, the height and internal well geometry determine the usable volume. Chrom Tech offers 350 µL, 1 mL, and 2 mL formats designed for sample recovery and robotic handling compatibility. Each format is engineered to support different workflow requirements while maintaining consistent platform fit.
Reservoir Trough Plates for Liquid Handling
Chrom Tech reservoir trough plates are designed for robotic liquid handling systems and method development workflows. These reservoirs can be configured with single or multiple liquid partitions to reduce dead volume and support different experimental layouts.
- Available in 1 to 24 cavity formats
- Container heights from 19 mm to 44 mm
- Made from chemical-resistant polymers to ANSI/SLAS standards
- Optional clear or black lids for evaporation control
Reservoir trays are often used in method scale-up and Design of Experiments (DoE) workflows because they provide an efficient interface between manual preparation and automated liquid handling.
96-Well Plates with Glass Inserts
Many laboratories moving from traditional HPLC vials to high-throughput automation prefer a hybrid format that still allows the sample to remain in contact with glass. Chrom Tech’s 96-well plates with glass inserts provide an economical solution for this requirement.
The reusable aluminum plate base and cover hold 96 precision glass inserts, combining the chemical inertness of glass with the throughput benefits of a standard plate-based workflow. Inserts are supplied in a plate vial loader, which allows all 96 inserts to be loaded into the plate simultaneously.
This system is especially useful for extraction workflows, evaporation steps, and heat-based reactions where minimizing sample loss, reducing adsorption, or improving solvent compatibility is important. The screw-fastened aluminum top applies even pressure across the wells, helping keep the silicone/PTFE sealing mat in place during heating and minimizing evaporation.
Choosing Between Polypropylene and Glass
Polypropylene plates are often the best choice for routine high-throughput sample preparation, storage, and LC/MS workflows because they are durable, chemically resistant, automation compatible, and available in multiple deep well formats.
Glass insert plate systems are often preferred when the workflow involves aggressive solvents, elevated temperatures, or analytes that may adsorb to plastic surfaces. They are also useful when laboratories want to maintain glass sample contact while transitioning to automated 96-well workflows.
Selecting the right format depends on sample chemistry, extraction conditions, heat exposure, solvent compatibility, and recovery requirements.