Protective gas microscopy preparation tool

prusaprinters

<p>Sometimes we get specimen vials that have been sealed under argon (in a glovebox). Prepping the crystals is easy enough, using a MicroCHILL (published here: <a href="https://journals.iucr.org/j/issues/2018/02/00/gj5200/gj5200.pdf">https://journals.iucr.org/j/issues/2018/02/00/gj5200/gj5200.pdf</a>). However, getting the samples from the vial to the stage without air contact is usually a pain. This tool is an attempt at resolving this.</p> <p>The vessel is enshrouded in a protective gas stream distributed through a ring of nozzles. I designed it around a piece of plexy pipe (glued on) to maintain some visibility. If necessary it is possible to pre-cool the gas stream by running it through a spiral submerged e.g. in dry ice. The vial can be clamped in place with an M3 screw (make sure to unscrew the cap about half a turn before placing the vial). Initial tests were very promising, it was easy enough to unscrew the cap using forceps and doing some manipulations inside the vessel under the microscope.</p> <p>The provided scad file is designed for a max. 30mm high/22mm diameter vessel and plexy pipe with OD=40, ID=34mm. The tap is 1/4" NPT (standard 6 or 8 mm pneumatic fitting as shown in picture). Barbed adapters (6 and 8 mm) for standard lab hose are provided as stl, but personally I am just using a length of 8 mm pneumatic hose (the red bit).<br/> The scad file is fairly parametric, you can adjust the tube diameters and maximum vessel size. Uses polyScrewThread.scad by aubenc (<a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:8796">https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:8796</a>).</p> <h3> Print Settings</h3> <p><strong>Printer Brand:</strong></p> <p>Prusa</p> <p><p class="detail-setting printer"><strong>Printer: </strong> <div><p>i3 MK2.5</p></div><strong>Rafts:</strong></p> <p>No</p> <p><p class="detail-setting supports"><strong>Supports: </strong> <div><p>No</p></div><strong>Resolution:</strong></p> <p>0.15</p> <p><p class="detail-setting infill"><strong>Infill: </strong> <div><p>40</p></div><br/> <strong>Filament:</strong><br/> Sakata PLA </p> </p></p></p> Category: Tools