Mortars and Pestles
Tools used to grind and crush substances into fine powders or pastes, Mortars are bowl-shaped containers and pestles are heavy, rod-shaped tools. Commonly sold as sets but also available separately, mortar and pestle sets may include mortars, pestles, adapters, housings, or other items in several materials.
Mortar and pestle implements have been used since ancient times to crush and grind substances. Mortars can be made of hard materials like wood, metal, ceramic, or hard stone such as granite or marble. Pestles are held in the hand and usually have a tapered, club-like shape. A wet or dry substance is placed in the mortar and the pestle is pressed against it and rotated until the material is pulverized.
What Is the Best Material for a Mortar and Pestle?
The implements must be made of materials that are hard enough to crush the substance without wearing away, but they cannot be brittle or break from the pressure of manipulation. The material should also be cohesive to reduce chipping and non-porous to avoid absorbing or trapping substances. Some rough porcelain mortars and pestles can reduce substances to very fine powders, but are brittle and stain more easily. Porcelain mortars can be pre-conditioned by grinding sand in them to produce a rougher surface. Glass mortars and pestles are stain-resistant and suitable for liquids, but are fragile and do not grind as finely as ceramic sets. Metal mortars and pestles are popular for food preparation.
Mortars and pestles are commonly used to grind and mix substances for dilution, to mask negative qualities, or to add volume to facilitate handling. Drugs can also be finely ground when not available in liquid form, and supplements can be processed to for addition to parenteral nutrition.
Electron Microscopy Sciences Ceramic Pestle
Ceramic Pestle for use with Liquid Nitrogen-Cooled Mortar.
Sigma Aldrich Fine Chemicals Biosciences CoorsTM porcelain pestle f1EA
Oversized pestle glazed to grinding surface. Order mortar separately.
Ace Glass, Inc. 15mL glass Pestle with 10mm rod,
15mL glass Pestle with 10mm rod, for use with 15mL tapered tube (50979772) as a tissue grinder. The rod can be used with a 509558293 Flex-Grip Chuck.
USA Scientific Inc sft tissue homogenizing kit
Soft tissue homogenizing kit with motor, adapter, and 12 Omni tips
Perkin Elmer US LLC Agate Pestle and Mortar Set
This set ships with the General Purpose IR Sampling Kits (51007739/L1365312) and the Liquid and Mull IR Sampling Kit (51008709/L1365311). With this part number, it can be ordered as a replacement or spare set.
International Crystal BALL PESTLE 3/8 100/PK
Ball Pestle, Polycarbonate, 3/8 in. dia., Wig-L-Bug Accessory
Electron Microscopy Sciences Potter-Elvehjem Tissue Grinder Mortar, 30 ml, 24 mmx 118 mm Mortor, 266 mm OAL
Replacement part to use in Potter-Elvehjem tissue grinder.
Size: 30 ml
Mortor: 24 mmx 118 mm
OAL: 266 mm
Electron Microscopy Sciences Tissue Grinder, GPI 13-425 cap 0.5 ml
This unit features a screw threaded neck for use with Wheaton connection. The 13-425 cap has an open top and PTFE faced silicone rubber liner. The clearance between pestle and mortar is 0.002 – 0.006" (0.05 – 0.15 mm). Made from Wheaton 33 low extractable borosilicate glass
Electron Microscopy Sciences Potter-Elvehjem Tissue Grinder PTFE with Radial Serrations, 2 ml, 11 mm x 45 mm Mortor, 203 mm OAL
Potter-Elvehjem Tissue Grinder incorporates a serrated pestle design to disperse homogenate into the mortar cylinder. Standard unit with Teflon pestles are well suited for soft tissue, such as brain and liver.
The tissue grinder are precisely constructed with completely interchangeable parts to allow easier cleaning or replacement of damaged mortars. This unit is autoclavable and can be used for power homogenization as with overhead stirrer. Depth of the serration is 0.20" to 0.25" (0.1 to 0.15 mm).
Size: 2 ml
Mortor: 11 mm x 45 mm
OAL: 203 mm
Chemglass Life Sciences Pestle with 1.5 mL microcentrifuge tube, polypropylene, pack of 100
This disposable polypropylene pestle is paired with a 1.5 mL microcentrifuge tube and supplied in packs of 100. The matched pestle and tube are designed to improve resuspension of protein and DNA pellets and to aid soft tissue grinding; pestles are suitable for manual use or with motorized mixers.
- Disposable polypropylene construction for low contamination risk.
- DNase, RNase, and pyrogen-free to maintain sample integrity.
- Autoclavable for optional sterilization prior to use.
- Pestle shafts suitable for motorized mixer use or manual operation.
- Microtubes with positive snap-cap seal and molded graduations for accurate volume reading.
- Frosted sidewall marking spots and flat caps pierceable by syringe for easy labeling and access.
- Individually bagged and over-bagged; bulk packed with lot control and material traceability.
Electron Microscopy Sciences Tapered Tissue Mortar only, 3 ml, 11 mm x 86 mm Mortor, 220 mm OAL
Replacement parts for Tapered Tissue Grinder with stainless steel rod pestle.
Size: 3 ml
Mortor: 11 mm x 86 mm
OAL: 220 mm
Electron Microscopy Sciences Tapered Tissue Mortar only, 1 ml, Mortor, 130 mm OAL
Replacement parts for Tapered Tissue Grinder with stainless steel rod pestle
Size: 1 ml
OAL: 130 mm
Research Products International Corp Micro-Pestles with 1.5ml Micro-Tubes, Disposable, 100 per Case
These autoclavable/disposable plastic pestles are excellent for re-suspending bacterial cells, precipitates of nucleic acids or proteins and pellets of other materials. Pestle supplied in green color.