3DCryoHolder: a new open access 3D printable system to store and transport silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions for spectromicroscopy at low temperature

Data acquisition under cryogenic conditions allows one to avoid unwanted damage caused by beam irradiation. This is particularly important for the study of biological samples at hard X-ray, micro- or nano-probe beamlines, which focus synchrotron radiation to small beam sizes with extremely high flux...

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Main Authors: Antonio Dominguez-Alfaro, Carlos Sanchez-Cano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: International Union of Crystallography 2025-01-01
Series:Journal of Synchrotron Radiation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.iucr.org/paper?S1600577524010919
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author Antonio Dominguez-Alfaro
Carlos Sanchez-Cano
author_facet Antonio Dominguez-Alfaro
Carlos Sanchez-Cano
author_sort Antonio Dominguez-Alfaro
collection DOAJ
description Data acquisition under cryogenic conditions allows one to avoid unwanted damage caused by beam irradiation. This is particularly important for the study of biological samples at hard X-ray, micro- or nano-probe beamlines, which focus synchrotron radiation to small beam sizes with extremely high flux densities. Sample preparation methods for cryopreserved specimens have been adapted from electron microscopy, and include the use of silicon nitride membranes as they are easy to handle and possess low X-ray absorption. Yet, currently there are no commercially available methods for the storage and transport of silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions. Here, we introduce and provide the design files of 3DCryoHolder, a system that can be 3D printed in-house for the correct storage and transport of multiple silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions, and is compatible with all commercial plunge-freezing instruments.
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publisher International Union of Crystallography
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series Journal of Synchrotron Radiation
spelling doaj-art-274ed78e08d74711bd46d01b06458dc22025-01-07T14:26:38ZengInternational Union of CrystallographyJournal of Synchrotron Radiation1600-57752025-01-0132122522910.1107/S1600577524010919kam50033DCryoHolder: a new open access 3D printable system to store and transport silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions for spectromicroscopy at low temperatureAntonio Dominguez-Alfaro0Carlos Sanchez-Cano1Polimero eta Material Aurreratuak: Fisika, Kimika eta Teknologia, Kimika Fakultatea, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea UPV/EHU, Donostia-San Sebastian 20018, SpainPolimero eta Material Aurreratuak: Fisika, Kimika eta Teknologia, Kimika Fakultatea, Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea UPV/EHU, Donostia-San Sebastian 20018, SpainData acquisition under cryogenic conditions allows one to avoid unwanted damage caused by beam irradiation. This is particularly important for the study of biological samples at hard X-ray, micro- or nano-probe beamlines, which focus synchrotron radiation to small beam sizes with extremely high flux densities. Sample preparation methods for cryopreserved specimens have been adapted from electron microscopy, and include the use of silicon nitride membranes as they are easy to handle and possess low X-ray absorption. Yet, currently there are no commercially available methods for the storage and transport of silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions. Here, we introduce and provide the design files of 3DCryoHolder, a system that can be 3D printed in-house for the correct storage and transport of multiple silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions, and is compatible with all commercial plunge-freezing instruments.https://journals.iucr.org/paper?S1600577524010919x-ray cryo-spectromicroscopycryopreserved samplesstorage and transport3d printing
spellingShingle Antonio Dominguez-Alfaro
Carlos Sanchez-Cano
3DCryoHolder: a new open access 3D printable system to store and transport silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions for spectromicroscopy at low temperature
Journal of Synchrotron Radiation
x-ray cryo-spectromicroscopy
cryopreserved samples
storage and transport
3d printing
title 3DCryoHolder: a new open access 3D printable system to store and transport silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions for spectromicroscopy at low temperature
title_full 3DCryoHolder: a new open access 3D printable system to store and transport silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions for spectromicroscopy at low temperature
title_fullStr 3DCryoHolder: a new open access 3D printable system to store and transport silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions for spectromicroscopy at low temperature
title_full_unstemmed 3DCryoHolder: a new open access 3D printable system to store and transport silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions for spectromicroscopy at low temperature
title_short 3DCryoHolder: a new open access 3D printable system to store and transport silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions for spectromicroscopy at low temperature
title_sort 3dcryoholder a new open access 3d printable system to store and transport silicon nitride membranes under cryogenic conditions for spectromicroscopy at low temperature
topic x-ray cryo-spectromicroscopy
cryopreserved samples
storage and transport
3d printing
url https://journals.iucr.org/paper?S1600577524010919
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