Excel Scientific AlumaSeal® CS™ FC-100 Aluminum Foil Microplate Seal for Cold Storage, Non-Sterile — 100/Pack

Product Description

The Excel Scientific AlumaSeal® CS™ FC-100 is a specially formulated aluminum foil microplate sealing film designed exclusively for cold storage applications — including ultra-low temperature storage at -80°C and below — where the excellent barrier properties of aluminum foil provide superior evaporation prevention, light exclusion, and sample protection compared to plastic film seals. AlumaSeal® CS™ offers an aluminum foil seal for well plates and microplates specially formulated for cold storage at temperatures below -80°C. These seals are not recommended for PCR or thermocycling. They provide excellent barrier properties to retard evaporation and are easily pierceable with pipet tips or robotic probes for sample recovery. Certified DNase-free, RNase-free, and nucleic acid-free. Non-sterile. Dimensions: 82.6 × 132.6 mm including single 9.5mm end tab. 100 foil seals per pack.

⚠️ Important — Cold Storage Only, Not for PCR or Thermocycling Unlike other sealing films in the AlumaSeal group, AlumaSeal CS™ sealing films are not recommended for PCR or thermocycling. The AlumaSeal® CS™ FC-100 is engineered specifically and exclusively for cold storage applications. For PCR and thermocycling applications requiring aluminum foil sealing, see the AlumaSeal® II (AF-100) which is designed for both PCR and cold storage. This critical distinction must be understood before ordering to ensure the correct product is selected for your application.

Specially Formulated for -80°C and Below AlumaSeal CS sealing films are specially formulated 50µm aluminum foil sealing films with a 50µm layer of acrylic adhesive that withstands cold storage at temperatures to -80°C. The adhesive formulation of the AlumaSeal® CS™ is specifically engineered to maintain a reliable, secure bond at ultra-low temperatures where standard adhesive seals become brittle, lose adhesion, or fail entirely — making the FC-100 the correct choice for long-term compound library storage, biobank sample storage, and any application requiring reliable sealing at -80°C or colder.

Excellent Barrier Properties — Superior Evaporation Prevention Aluminum foil provides fundamentally superior barrier properties compared to plastic film seals — blocking vapor transmission, light, and atmospheric gases more completely than any polymer film alternative. Certified free of DNase-, RNase-, and nucleic-acids. Excellent barrier properties to retard evaporation. For long-term cold storage where sample volume loss from evaporation or freeze-concentration is a concern, the aluminum foil construction of the AlumaSeal® CS™ provides a more complete barrier than plastic alternatives.

Easily Pierceable — Robotic Probe and Pipette Tip Compatible Easily pierceable with pipet tips or robotic probes for sample recovery. The 50µm aluminum foil construction is thin enough to be pierced cleanly by standard pipette tips and robotic liquid handling probes — allowing direct sample access without removing the seal. This is critical for automated compound management and high-throughput screening workflows where robotic probes must access individual wells without fully unsealing the plate.

Single Non-Perforated End Tab — Simplified Application Without Curling A single non-perforated end tab simplifies the application. Simply hold the tab and strip the backing from the body of the sealing film as it lays on the plate to avoid curling. The single end-tab design and the peel-as-you-lay application technique prevents the foil from curling during application — a common challenge with aluminum foil seals that the AlumaSeal® CS™ application method specifically addresses. The seal can be applied by hand or with a plate sealing roller accessory for a secure, uniform seal across all wells.

Plate Sealing Roller Recommended for Uniform Seal Completing application of AlumaSeal CS sealing films by pressing with the accessory plate roller assures a secure uniform seal around all wells. While hand pressure is sufficient for applying the FC-100, using a plate sealing roller (or sealing paddle for raised-rim plates) ensures consistent, uniform adhesive contact across all wells — particularly important for 384-well and 1536-well plates where achieving a complete seal by hand pressure alone is more difficult.

AlumaSeal® CS™ vs. AlumaSeal® II — Choosing the Right Aluminum Foil Seal:

Complete Excel Scientific AlumaSeal® Sealing Foil Family:

Key Features

• Specially formulated aluminum foil seal for cold storage at -80°C and below
• ⚠️ Not recommended for PCR or thermocycling
• 50µm aluminum foil — superior barrier properties vs. plastic film seals
• 50µm acrylic adhesive — specially formulated to maintain bond at ultra-low temperatures
• Excellent barrier properties — retards evaporation, blocks light and gas transmission
• Easily pierceable — compatible with pipette tips and robotic probes
• Single non-perforated end tab — simplified peel-as-you-lay application
• Hand or plate sealing roller application
• Certified DNase-free, RNase-free, and nucleic acid-free
• Non-sterile
• Dimensions: 82.6 × 132.6 mm (including 9.5mm end tab)
• Film thickness: 50µm
• Adhesive thickness: 50µm
• Temperature range: -80°C to +120°C
• Shelf life: 36 months
• 100 foil seals per pack
• Made in the USA

Supported Applications Ultra-low temperature compound library storage at -80°C, biobank sample storage, long-term DNA/RNA sample storage in microplate format, DMSO compound library cold storage, automated compound management with robotic probe access, high-throughput screening compound storage, and any microplate cold storage application requiring an aluminum foil seal with reliable adhesion at -80°C or below.

Compatible Replacement — Cross-Reference Guide

The AlumaSeal® CS™ FC-100 is a direct compatible replacement for cold storage aluminum foil seals from several major manufacturers. Labs currently using any of the following products can switch directly to the FC-100 without protocol changes:

• 4titude® 4ti-0536 — Heat Sealing Foil for Cold Storage (96-well format)
• Thermo Fisher Scientific AB-0626 — ABgene® Thermo-Seal Cold Storage Foil
• Axygen® PCR-AS-200 — Foil Plate Seals for Cold Storage
• Bio-Rad MSF1001 — Microseal® 'F' Aluminum Foil Seal
• Greiner Bio-One 676090 — Universal Sealing Foil for Cold Storage

Competitor brand names and catalog numbers are referenced for cross-referencing purposes only. Compatibility should be verified for your specific plates and protocols.

Technical Specifications