Long Path Cell/Cuvette

Long Path Cell/Cuvette

A long path cell cuvette for a spectrophotometer has an optical path length of 20 mm, 50 mm, or 100 mm. Long path cells are used to measure very dilute solutions, such as water turbidity. The absorbance of a solution is proportional to the path length, so the longer the path length, the higher the absorbance. For example, a 100 mm cell has an absorbance ten times that of a 10mm.

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Description

A long path cell cuvette for a spectrophotometer has an optical path length of 20 mm, 50 mm, or 100 mm. Long path cells are used to measure very dilute solutions, such as water turbidity. The absorbance of a solution is proportional to the path length, so the longer the path length, the higher the absorbance. For example, a 100 mm cell has an absorbance ten times that of a 10mm.

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Micro Cuvette

Ultra-Micro Cuvettes: Designed for minimal sample volumes with a short path length, typically used for high-precision measurements in cases where only minute quantities of the sample are available.
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Standard Cell with Lid

Standard Rectangular Cell Path Length - 10mm, Volume - 3.5ml Window Material – Quartz Fully Fused Construction
Cuvettes are often made from glass, quartz, or plastic. The material used depends on the type of experiment being performed:
  • Glass and plastic
    These materials are good for visible light studies, but they aren't ideal for measuring purity and concentration.
  • Quartz
    Quartz is transparent in both visible and UV light, so it's a good choice for UV-light spectrum sample measurements. Quartz cuvettes can have an extended transmission range of 190–2,500 nm, but they can be more expensive than glass. 
Cuvettes are designed to allow light to pass through the sample, and the sides are often polished to maximize light transmittance. The path length of the light beam through the sample can vary from 1–2 mm to 10 cm, but it's often designed to be 1 cm. For absorption experiments, only two sides of the cuvette need to be polished, but for scattering and fluorescence experiments, all four sides need to be polished. 
When filling a cuvette, it's important to only fill it to 80% capacity. If the liquid is too close to the top, it could spill out and cause problems during measurements. 
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