[3dem] Weird droplets

[Sergej Masich]

Dear List,

I probably missed the discussion since many of you had observed this phenomenon I suppose (see attached images). This is a Quantifoil grid with additional continuous layer of thin (5 nm) carbon. The grid was glow-discharged during 120 seconds, the solution was applied to the “proper” side (facing grid-box centre), blotted and plunge-frozen in liquid ethane. Why do these droplets form? I do not see the droplets after applying solution to the opposite side of the grid. Shouldn’t the carbon surface inside the holes be homogeneously hydrophilic? The surface outside the holes seems to be completely hydrophobic. Is it due to residual plastic?

Thank you in advance.

Sergej
=============================
Sergej Masich, Ph.D.
Dept. of Cell and Molecular Biology
Karolinska Institutet
171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
tel: (+)46 - 8 - 524 873 61
mobile: (+)46 - 736 - 833 693
e-mail: Sergej.Masich at ki.se<mailto:Sergej.Masich at ki.se>

[cid:86227476-7EB8-401D-8ECE-07FA4A306FC4]
[cid:83003F53-9716-466E-BE17-51E2FD1AA1B4]

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