Biofilm Test Coupons and Surfaces
BioSurface Technologies supplies biofilm test coupons and surfaces for all BST reactor and flow cell systems, as well as standalone research surfaces. All coupons are machined to tight tolerances to ensure consistent surface area and reproducible biofilm formation across experiments. Custom materials are available upon request for most coupon formats.
Biofilm Test Coupons at a Glance
| Coupon Type | Compatible Systems | Dimensions | Shape | Materials Available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBR Disc | CDC Biofilm Reactor®, Rotating Disk Biofilm Reactor, Bio-inLine® Biofilm Reactor, Coupon Evaluation FC, Treatment Imaging FC | 12.7mm dia. x 3.8mm | Disc | 43 materials |
| CBR Slide | CDC Biofilm Reactor® | 15.2mm x 75mm | Rectangular Slide | 8 materials |
| DFR Slide | Drip Flow Biofilm Reactor® | 25mm x 75mm | Rectangular Slide | 15 materials |
| BAR Slide | Biofilm Annular Reactor | 12.7mm x 150mm | Rectangular Slide (angled edge) | 15 materials |
| FC Coupon (10mm Disc) | Coupon Evaluation FC (FC 71, FC 270, FC 271, FC 274, FC 275) | 10mm dia. x 2mm | Disc | 11 materials |
| FC Coupon (Rectangle) | Coupon Evaluation FC (FC 71, FC 270, FC 271, FC 274, FC 275) | 6mm x 25mm x 2mm | Rectangular | 5 materials |
| MBPA 8025 | MicroWell™ MBPA 48 | 0.25 in x 0.80 in | Rectangular Slide | 10 materials |
| MBPA 5025 | MicroWell™ MBPA 48-50 | 0.25 in x 0.50 in | Rectangular Slide | 4 materials |
| 2-Inch Square (BST 5050) | Standalone | 50mm x 50mm | Square | 12 materials |
CDC Biofilm Reactor® Disc Coupons
CBR disc coupons are the standard sample surface for the CDC Biofilm Reactor® and are compatible with the Rotating Disk Biofilm Reactor, Bio-inLine® Biofilm Reactor, Coupon Evaluation Flow Cells, and Treatment Imaging Flow Cell. With 40+ standard materials available and custom options upon request, CBR discs support the widest range of substrate-specific biofilm research of any BST coupon format. Slide coupons are also available in a number of materials for CDC Biofilm Reactor® applications.
Alongside commonly ordered materials like stainless steels, rubbers, and plastics, BST offers specialty disc coupons not commonly available from other suppliers. Hydroxyapatite disc coupons (RD128-HA) provide a calcium phosphate substrate that closely mimics the mineral composition of tooth enamel and bone, making them the standard choice for dental and bone implant biofilm research. Denture acrylic resin (PMMA) disc coupons (RD128-PMMA) are used for oral biofilm studies on prosthetic surfaces. Glazed tile (RD128-GT) and porcelain (RD128-PL) disc coupons offer porous ceramic substrata suited for biofilm studies on building materials, food processing surfaces, and environmental substrates. Concrete-coated polycarbonate discs (RD128-CC) are available for infrastructure and water distribution system studies, and cobalt chrome (RD128-CoCr) and Inconel 718 (RD128-Inc) discs support aerospace and medical device research applications.
Disc: 12.7mm dia. x 3.8mm Slide: 15.2mm x 75mm
Drip Flow Biofilm Reactor® Slide Coupons
DFR slide coupons follow standard microscope slide dimensions and are designed for the Drip Flow Biofilm Reactor®. Fifteen standard materials are available, and custom slides can be produced upon request. The large surface area of the DFR slide makes these coupons well suited for biofilm studies that require downstream imaging or surface analysis.
Dimensions: 25mm x 75mm
Microscopy Flow Cell Coupons
Coupon Evaluation Flow Cell models (FC 71, FC 270, FC 271, FC 274, FC 275) accept three coupon configurations: two CBR discs, three 10mm discs, or one rectangular coupon. The 10mm disc format is available in 10+ materials and the rectangular format in 5 materials. This flexibility allows researchers to match their flow cell setup to the coupon geometry that best suits their experimental requirements.
10mm Disc: 10mm dia. x 2mm
CBR Disc: 12.7mm dia. x 3.8mm
Rectangle: 6mm x 25mm x 2mm
MicroWell™ Biofilm Plate Assay Coupons
MBPA 8025 Coupons
MBPA 8025 coupons are designed for the standard MicroWell™ MBPA 48 coupon holder. 10+ standard materials are available including 304 and 316L stainless steel, aluminum, borosilicate glass, HDPE, polycarbonate, PTFE, silicone, titanium alloy, and wood. Their 0.25 in x 0.80 in geometry suspends each coupon to a precise, consistent depth inside the 48-well microtiter plate wells. Custom materials are available upon request.
Dimensions: 0.25 in x 0.80 in
MBPA 5025 Coupons
MBPA 5025 coupons are the shortened variant designed for the MBPA 48-50 configuration. Several standard materials are available: 316L stainless steel, HDPE, polycarbonate, and PTFE. Their reduced length is sized to fit the titanium and glass calVial™ carriers used by the Symcel CalScreener™ system, enabling direct transfer from MicroWell™ biofilm growth into microcalorimetric analysis without additional sample handling. Custom materials are available upon request.
Dimensions: 0.25 in x 0.50 in
Biofilm Annular Reactor Slide Coupons
BAR slide coupons are machined with a special angled edge that locks into the slot inside the Biofilm Annular Reactor, keeping coupons securely positioned during long-duration experiments. 15+ standard materials are available. The reactor holds up to 20 slides and is designed to simulate the interior surface shear of water pipes, making BAR coupons well suited for water treatment and distribution system research.
Dimensions: 12.7mm x 150mm
2-Inch Square Coupons
BST 5050 square coupons are a standardized standalone surface used for a wide variety of biofilm-related studies and assays that do not require a specific reactor format. 10+ standard materials are available, and additional materials can be quoted upon request.
Dimensions: 50mm x 50mm
