Specimen chambers for critical point drying for scanning electron microscopy

✍ Scribed by Hess, W. M. ;Allen, J. V. ;Gardner, J. S. ;Reynolds, Jay

• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 427 KB
• Volume: 8
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0741-0581
• DOI: 10.1002/jemt.1060080413

✦ Synopsis

In electron optics laboratories where biological specimens are processed, particularly in service laboratories, there is a need to be able to fix, dehydrate, and critical point dry samples of various sizes and to process from one to several samples at a time.

This need is dealt with in various ways in different laboratories.

Jeweler's baskets are commonly utilized, and various methods are employed to retain small samples. Very fine mesh screens are used to line specimen holders or holders are made from screens of various meshes. There appears to be no good source for specimen holders designed for critical point drying.

After experimenting with specimen holders of various types and sizes for several years it was concluded that specimen holders could be designed which would be suitable for processing assorted biological specimens. Three basic brass specimen holders were designed with 50 mesh stainless steel screen on each side (Figs. ). All are 23 mm outside diameter so they will fit in the chambers of standard critical point drying units and are 15.5 mm inside diameter.