96-Well Deep Well Plates: Volume, Dimensions and Uses

The 96-well deep well plate is a high-throughput multi-well plate built to the ANSI/SBS microplate footprint. Its length and width are those of a standard 96-well plate; only the wells are deeper, so each one holds several times the volume. That combination — a standard footprint with a much larger working volume — is why deep well plates have largely replaced racks of 1.5 mL tubes in storage, purification and automated workflows.

What makes a deep well plate different

A standard 96-well plate is designed for optical reading or cell culture, where a few hundred microlitres per well is enough. A deep well plate keeps the same 96 positions and the same outer dimensions but extends the wells downwards. The plate therefore still loads into the same readers, handlers and centrifuge carriers, while giving every well enough volume to hold a real sample.

Working volumes across the range

Working volume per well runs from 0.33 mL to 10 mL. The models used most often are 1.0, 1.2, 1.6, 2.0 and 2.2 mL — roughly the capacity of a 1.5 mL centrifuge tube, in a format that can be handled 96 samples at a time.

Working volume per well	What it is for
0.33 mL	Lower end of the range, for small-volume work that still needs a 96-position format.
1.0 – 2.2 mL	The common models (1.0, 1.2, 1.6, 2.0 and 2.2 mL). A direct stand-in for 1.5 mL tubes when samples are processed in bulk.
up to 10 mL	Upper end of the range, for larger-volume sample handling.

Well shape and bottom profile

Two bottom profiles are standard. A U-shaped bottom mixes the sample more thoroughly and suits work where the whole well volume has to stay homogeneous. A V-shaped bottom concentrates material at a single point and increases the contact area for heating. Wells are also available round or square, and square wells make it easier to drive a pipette tip straight down without catching the wall.

Option	Why choose it
U-shaped bottom	Thorough mixing of the sample.
V-shaped bottom	Higher sample recovery and a larger heating contact area.
Round wells	Standard geometry, compatible with most multichannel work.
Square wells	Easier vertical insertion of pipette tips.

Material and temperature range

Deep well plates are moulded from medical-grade polypropylene (PP). PP resists acids, alkalis, alcohols, DMSO and most other organic solvents, and it holds at both ends of the working range: plates are stored at -80 °C for extended periods and can be autoclaved at 121 °C.

Sealing options

Three sealing formats cover most workflows. Heat-sealable film gives the tightest seal and is the usual choice for long-term frozen storage. A silicone gasket allows repeated sampling through the seal. A snap-on lid is the quickest option when the plate is opened and closed many times in a day.

Seal	Best for
Heat-sealable film	Maximum airtightness, long-term frozen storage.
Silicone gasket	Sampling through the seal without resealing the plate.
Snap-on lid	Frequent opening and closing.

Automation compatibility

Outer dimensions follow the ANSI/SBS standard, so the plate loads directly onto automated liquid handling workstations, robotic arms, multichannel pipettes and autosamplers. No adapter is needed, which is the main reason deep well plates sit at the centre of high-throughput workflows rather than at their edge.

Cleanliness and biosafety

Plates are manufactured in a Class 100,000 cleanroom, and third-party testing covers DNase, RNase, pyrogens and endotoxin — the four checks that decide whether a consumable can be used in a sterile or nucleic-acid workflow. If a specific assay requires certified sterility rather than low bioburden, confirm the sterilization status of the exact catalogue number before ordering.

What deep well plates are used for

• High-throughput sample storage. DNA, RNA, protein and compound libraries can be stored 96 at a time instead of in individual tubes — far less space in a -80 °C freezer, and far easier to keep a collection in order.
• Nucleic acid and protein purification. Magnetic-bead extraction, plasmid prep, NGS library preparation and immunoprecipitation all run in deep well plates, from lysis through washing to elution, without transferring samples between vessels.
• Compound and library screening. Storage, dilution and dispensing of compound libraries, siRNA libraries and hybridoma screens — the plate is what makes a screen high-throughput in the first place.
• Sample preparation ahead of LC. With a multichannel pipette or a handler, precipitation, liquid–liquid extraction and solid-phase extraction can be run in batches. The plate then feeds an autosampler directly, so samples never have to be moved into vials.
• Cell culture and functional assays. Suspension culture and high-throughput cell-function work both run in deep well plates. Low-binding versions reduce non-specific protein binding, which matters when measuring proteins secreted by cells.
• Other parallel work. Small-scale parallel chemistry, multi-parameter environmental monitoring and batch pre-treatment for food safety samples all use the same format.

Frequently asked questions

Are deep well plates sterile?

They are produced in a Class 100,000 cleanroom and tested for DNase, RNase, pyrogens and endotoxin. That is not the same as a certificate of sterility, so for sterile workflows check the sterilization status of the specific catalogue number.

Can deep well plates be frozen at -80 °C?

Yes. Polypropylene withstands prolonged storage at -80 °C, and the plate is also autoclavable at 121 °C.

Will they fit my automated liquid handler?

Yes, provided the instrument accepts ANSI/SBS microplates — which nearly all do. The outer dimensions are standard, so no adapter is required.

Which bottom shape should I choose?

U-shaped if the sample has to stay fully mixed, V-shaped if you need to concentrate material or heat it efficiently. Square wells are the practical choice when tips are inserted vertically by a handler.

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