Dual Thickness MicroMounts

Box contains 20 micromounts

MicroMounts are the world's highest performance tools for retrieving and mounting protein crystals, virus crystals, and small molecule/inorganic crystals. They can be also used for handling small fragile samples including biological, archaeological and mineralogical samples. MicroMounts are compatible with all standard X-ray hardware, and can be inserted in 0.7 mm mechanical pencils for easy handling.

Micromounts consist of thin polymer tips attached to beveled non-magnetic 0.025" (0.64 mm) diameter stainless steel rods. Their patented design provides an excellent combination of X-ray and optical transparency, mechanical rigidity and flexibility, and precision dimensions.

The polymer tip is only 7.5-12.5 μm thick, less than half that of competing mounts, giving the lowest possible background X-ray scatter from the mount.

The polymer is unoriented, so the background scatter does not show the sharp peaks of competing mounts, and has the lowest possible birefringence.

Curving the tip by wrapping its base around the rod makes it rigid, and provides a scoop-like action in retrieving samples. The tip can also flex and bend flat against e.g., a well or glass slide, to dislodge and then slip under a sample.

A wicking aperture draws excess liquid away from the sample, reducing background scatter and allowing faster sample cooling for cryocrystallography.

Since 2008, MicroMounts (and all of our other products) have been made using the most mechanically robust unoriented polymer available. With proper care - especially during cleaning - each MicroMount can be used to harvest and measure dozens of crystals.

Extremely easy to use, novices can be mounting samples in minutes. MicroMounts make your crystallography pipeline more efficient by maximizing the odds of successful mounting, cooling and data collection.

Product Design

MicroMounts™ consist of a thin microfabricated polyimide film attached to a solid non-magnetic 0.025" (0.64 mm) stainless steel rod.

Films

Polyimide:
Used in Kapton® tape, which is employed for X-ray transparent windows on X-ray beam lines. Has low atomic number (Z) constituents and low density, and produces less background scatter than e.g., nylon. Optically transparent with an orange-gold hue.

Film Curvature:
Obtained by wrapping polyimide film around the steel rod. Provides excellent stiffness even with very thin (7.5 micrometer) films, and a convenient, scoop-like action in retrieving and handling samples.

Film Pattern

Sample aperture (A) sizes from 10 to 600 micrometers, with minimal polyimide width (B) around the aperture to minimize background scatter in all orientations.

Wicking hole (C) connected via drainage channel (D) to the sample aperture. Hole size is compatible with size 15 or XF paper wicks. "Fountain-pen"-like design allows easier removal of excess liquid - without ever touching the sample with the wick.

Alignment cross (E) located a fixed distance from the center of the sample aperture. Allows easy automated alignment of the sample aperture (A).

Sample aperture size code (F) around the alignment cross. Allows automated recognition of mount design and of aperture and sample size, which determines boundaries of aperture (to be avoided), required alignment tolerance, and area of sample available to be scanned for optimum diffraction. Initial beam size can then be automatically selected. Aperture size (G) in μm can be read directly off the mount. Orientation mark (H) allows the front and back of the mount to be automatically distinguished.

Rods

Solid 316 non-magnetic stainless steel rods. Diameter of 0.025" (0.64 mm) is compatible with all standard goniometer bases / caps, and can be inserted and held in 0.7 mm mechanical pencils. Rods will not be pulled out or trapped by magnets in tools or in automounting hardware. Available in four standard lengths: 11 mm, 19 mm, 17.6 (SPINE), and 25 mm. The 11, 19 and 25 mm rod lengths give rod base-to-sample center distances comparable to those of nylon loops mounted in 10, 18, and 24 mm rods, respectively. Custom rod lengths available on request.

Unlike competing mounts in hollow rods, our solid rods will not suck up samples and liquid.

Beveled at film end. Allows good visibility of the sample for a wider range of rod orientations during sample retrieval than unbeveled rods.

Can be cut using spring-steel-compatible pliers/cutters to any desired length. Can be easily bent to place sample in desired orientation. Fit all standard bases.

Assortment

We also offer small (A1), medium (A2) and large (A3) aperture assortments, as shown below.

Technical Details