What is a cuvette and how is it used?

A cuvette (sample cell, absorption cell) is, in its basic level, fundamentally a test tube designed for use with optical analysis. Standard cuvettes are generally square or rectangular in cross section to avoid refraction artefacts. Depending on what part of the spectrum is under consideration, they may be made of quartz or optical glass although plastic cuvettes do exist for less demanding measurements.

How To Use a Cuvette?

This is a brief description on how to use a cuvette and will also help answer the question: What is a cuvette? Also if you would like more information about how to use a cuvette in different instruments such as Spectrometers, Spectrophotometers and Fluorometers then please feel free to contact us.

A liquid sample is placed in the cuvette carefully to ensure that it is not over filled and the outside of the cuvette is kept clean. Then the cuvette is inserted into the instrument such as a Spectrometer or Fluorometer. The beams inside of the instrument can pass through the quartz/glass walls of the cuvette due to their optical purity and 'read' the sample. The sample's data is then analysed against know standards of materials.

Other answers to the question: What is a Cuvette?

• A container with specific dimensions (particularly thickness) and optical properties, used to examine coloured or colourless solutions that are free of turbidity, as well as the light scattering of turbid suspensions, such as bacterial suspensions. Its efficacy depends on its chemical composition; e.g., one made of quartz is used for examination of materials in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum and one made of Pyrex is used for examination of materials in the visible range. (Source: Dorland's Illustrated Medical Dictionary)
• A small often transparent laboratory vessel (as a tube) (Source: Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)
• Laboratory vessel: a transparent tubular laboratory vessel or dish for holding a liquid (Source: Encarta? World English Dictionary)

Where to buy Cuvettes

CM Scientific offers a full range of high quality optical cuvettes and cells manufactured from Quartz or Glass for use in a wide range of applications and instruments.