Specialty Labware
Specialty labware includes proprietary products and accessories related to labware or laboratory equipment. Specialty labware includes disposable plastic products, inert polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or Teflon products, and a variety of Petri dishes, funnels, beakers, and flasks. Teflon is a registered trademark of DuPont. Specialty labware is used in all kinds of applications, from clinical laboratories to chemical and biological research and development facilities.
Specialty labware consists of laboratory containers made of special materials. Specialty labware may need to be inert or resistant to electrostatic discharge, corrosion and reaction resistant, as well as durable and colorfast. Specialty labware includes plastic labware and glass labware, and labware composed of certain polymers or polycarbonates. Nalgene labware is composed of a special plastic and is used by chemists and biologists because it is lightweight and shatterproof, making it a good alternative to clinical and research labware composed of glass. Glass labware includes traditional products that are transparent, relatively strong, and resistant to many chemical reactions. Plastic labware is often used in school science laboratories because it is safe and inexpensive to replace. Specialty labware includes graduated cylinders for measuring liquids, magnetic spin bars for stirring solutions, Erlenmeyer and volumetric flasks, and nylon or polymeric bags.
Specialty labware includes platinum labware for use in experiments that require high temperatures or harsh chemical processes. Platinum labware is chemically inert and can include crucibles, tongs, electrodes, and special evaporation dishes. Specialty labware for preparing specimens includes lab plates and slides, or Petri dishes for culturing bacterial cultures. Lab cultures are typically contained in Petri dishes that have a layer of nutrient, such as agar, to feed the growing bacteria. Specialty labware may also include prepared plates, slides, and cultures available from scientific supply houses.
Specialty labware suppliers adhere to regulatory requirements and voluntary quality standards. ISO 9001 specifies the requirements for a quality management system for overseeing the production of a product or service.
