EMS GRIDS & TEM SUPPORT FILMS CATALOG EDITION V SPECIMEN SUPPORT GRIDS


zzzSynapTek™ Grids Very reliable under the electron beam- Synaptek® unflexible grids, made of


a special alloy (Berylium-Copper). Offers extreme stability for coating with support film. 4 mil thick (100µm), 3.05mm diameter, this standard 2x1mm oval slot grids are contamination free and reusable after cleaning. 0.5x2mm oval slots are also available. NUM grids: Numbered grids are in random order. Numbers may be duplicated. DOT grids: 2 dots are marked on one side of the grid for identification. Dots are visible to the naked eye. NOTCH grids: A mark, stamped on one side of the grid to facilitate the handling of the grids. Notch is available with NUM or DOT grids. GILDED grids: completely Gold-Plated grids, suitable for immunology research, autoradiography, as well as special needs.


TECHNICAL TIP


A Fool-proof Method for Mounting Serial Sections on Single Hole Grids


I did serial sectioning for years on large single hole grids using a very simple technique that made the potential problems of film thickness, wrinkles and section loss very minor. I was not the original developer of the method and do not remember who originally gave it to me. It goes as follows:


1) Have your machine shop cut some thin pieces of Plexiglas into the size of glass slides. At one end, drill about a dozen holes, roughly 5mm in diameter, in an area about the size of a formvar film cast on glass slides. These slides will serve as your template for holding your films.


2) Cast the formvar films onto glass slides using your normal method. Usually a good silver film, not gray, will work fine I routinely used 0.2% formvar in dichloroethane when casting by immersing the slide into the solution in a small jar, etc. We now use a film caster that lets us hold the slide in the dichloroethane vapors after lowering the formvar solution level This method tends to give you thinner films consistently so the correct solution percentage and timing would have to be redetermined.


DOT 2x1mm slot


NOTCH-DOT 2x1mm slot


DOT 2x0.5mm slot


NOTCH-NUM 2x1mm slot


3) Float the film off the glass slide and pick it up with the Plexiglas slide so the film covers the holes. Then draw the water out of the holes by pressing the plastic slide down onto filter paper, or using small pieces of filter paper and capillary action to draw the water out of individual holes. The films should hold nicely over the holes in the slide. Store slides until needed.


NUM 2x1mm slot Cat. No.


S2010-DOT S2010-NUM


S2010-NOTCH S2010-ND S2010-NN SG2010-NN S2005-DOT S1808-ND S1020-NI


S1500-DOT


S1500NI-DOT S1500MO-DOT


NOTCH 2x1mm slot Description


DOT, 2 x 1mm slot NUM, 2 x 1mm slot NOTCH, 2 x 1mm slot


NOTCH-DOT, 2 x 1mm slot NOTCH-NUM, 2 x 1mm slot


NOTCH-DOT, 0.8 x 1.8mm slot


Ni-NOTCH-DOT, 1 x 2mm slot, Nickel DOT, 1.5mm hole


Ni-DOT, 1.5mm hole, Nickel


Mo-DOT, 1.5mm hole, Molybdenum, Thickness of 75µm (3 mil)


zzzTomography Grids


This 1.5mm square, 300 mesh grid is made from copper and is for use with Fischione tomography specimen holders. The size allows for further tilt in TEMs with small pole piece holes. An identification mark and the square shape give easy reference when rotated past 90°.


Cat. No. 74357


Description Copper Tomography Grid, 300 mesh


Support Films on Tomography Grids 74357-01 74357-02 74357-03 74357-04


Lacey Carbon on Copper Tomography Grid Lacey Carbon on Copper Tomography Grid Carbon Film on Copper Tomography Grid Carbon Film on Copper Tomography Grid


Pack 50/pk


25/pk 50/pk 25/pk 50/pk


NOTCH DOT 0.8x1.8mm slot


DOT 1.5mm hole Pack


100/vial 100/vial 100/vial 100/vial 100/vial


GILDED NOTCH-NUM, 2 x 1mm slot, Gold Plated 100/vial DOT, 0.5 x 2mm slot


100/vial 100/vial 100/vial 100/vial 100/vial


25/vial


4) Next, cut your sections using a block diameter that is fairly similar to the size of the slit in the grid. Pick up the sections on UNCOATED grids by gently lowering the grid to the surface of the knife boat. I put the dull side down on the premise that the rough surface would grab the film better during step 6. The surface tension of the water will hold the sections in the grid opening. Transfer the grid to a droplet water until you have finished sectioning. Do invert grid. It important the of grid (shiny side) stay dry so that the grid will float on all subsequent solutions.


5) Transfer the grid + sections + water droplet to a drop of stain. A small amount of water will be transferred but this will not interfere with staining. If you are concerned about the dilution effect, increase your staining time slightly. Allow the section to stain, then wash by transferring through a series of droplets of clean water. Continue to if desired and wash the same way. Never let the grid dry. There is minimum problem with stain precipitation if you use very clean water and transfer the grid through a sufficient number of water droplets (6-12 recommended).


6) The final step is to transfer the grid to a film suspended over the hole in a Plexiglas slide and let it dry down. The sections will now be stuck to the film with NO wrinkles and minimum breakage. When ready to view, just punch out around the grid with the tip of your forceps, grab the grid and insert into the microscope.


Believe me....the sections will still be there at the end!


I found that as long as the sections cover a substantial portion of the open area of the grid, carbon coating was not essential. I used to do 50-100 grids worth of serial sections without loosing any. The films on the plastic slides would hold for months so I could make a lot and store until needed.


Previously Published in: Sherman, D.M. (1998) A Full-proof Method for Mounting Serial Sections on Single Hole Grids. MSA Technologist’s Forum Newsletter 16:2


zzz Plexiglas Microscope Slides


These plexiglass slides are 3 x 1” (75-25mm) and 1 mm thick. They prevent wrinkling and section loss while mounting sections on grids. The procedure is simple (see above).


Cat. No. 71891-10 Description Plexiglass Microscope Slides


Qty. 5/pk


15


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