[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#f2f2f2″ custom_margin=”-1px|||||” custom_padding=”10px||30px|||” box_shadow_style=”preset3″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#FFFFFF” custom_margin=”12px|auto||auto||” border_width_all=”10px” border_color_all=”#4370b4″ border_style_all=”outset” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|700||on|||||” text_font_size=”18px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||13px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) area[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/lma.unizar.es\/en\/transmission-electron-microscopy-tem-area\/” button_text=”SEE EQUIPMENT” button_alignment=”center” _builder_version=”4.14.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_button=”on” button_text_size=”16px” button_bg_color=”#FFFFFF” button_border_width=”0px” button_border_radius=”4px” button_letter_spacing=”0px” button_font=”|700||on|||||” button_icon=”=||divi||400″ custom_margin=”0px||8px||false|false” custom_padding=”4px||4px||true|false” hover_enabled=”0″ button_text_color_tablet=”” button_text_color_phone=”” button_text_color_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}” button_bg_color__hover=”#4370b4″ button_bg_color__hover_enabled=”on|hover” button_text_color__hover=”#FFFFFF” button_text_color__hover_enabled=”on|hover” button_border_color__hover=”#4370b4″ button_border_color__hover_enabled=”on|desktop” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_button][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”21px||16px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”75%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”2em” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”18px” header_2_line_height=”1.8em” custom_margin=”||31px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Conventional TEM requires high vacuum inside the microscope column, therefore all samples need to be dried out before observation.\u00a0<\/span>Cryo-TEM<\/b>\u00a0is a good alternative for the\u00a0<\/span>direct observation of liquid samples in its original state<\/b>: specimens are vitrified in liquid ethane or propane and analysed in the microscope at low temperature. The vitrification method is based in a very fast sample cooling that prevents the formation of crystalline ice. Moreover, the thin layer of amorphous ice formed during the vitrification process protects the material from electron beam damage.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/lma.unizar.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/cryo-tem.jpg” title_text=”cryo-tem” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||17px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|700|on||||||” text_line_height=”2em” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”18px” header_2_line_height=”1.8em” custom_margin=”||27px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Thermofisher Vitrobot\u00a9 for automated vitrification (left). The vitrified grid is handled. in a liquid nitrogen atmosphere and then placed in a Cryo-holder, Gatan (right)<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”2em” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”18px” header_2_line_height=”1.8em” custom_margin=”||30px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n It is an optimal technique for the\u00a0<\/span>observation of proteins, polymers, hydrogels, organic vesicles, micelles, mixed organic\/metallic nano-objects or small cells<\/b>\u00a0(ideally\u00a0<\/span>smaller than 1\u00b5m<\/b>). It avoids the artifacts resulting from the addition of staining contrast agents.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/lma.unizar.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/cryo-tem2.jpg” title_text=”cryo-tem2″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||17px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|700|on||||||” text_line_height=”2em” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”18px” header_2_line_height=”1.8em” custom_margin=”||18px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]Examples of Vitrification and cryo-TEM observation of a Polymer vesicle. (left) and a Polymer nanoribbon (right). Both samples belong to the Liquid Crystals and Polymers group, INMA.[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_line_height=”2em” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”18px” header_2_line_height=”1.8em” custom_margin=”||32px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The\u00a0<\/span>vitrification process<\/b>\u00a0is achieved in a Thermofisher Vitrobot<\/span>\u00a9<\/span>: A 3 \u00b5l drop of an aqueous suspension of the material is placed on a TEM Quantifoil<\/span>\u00a9<\/span>\u00a0carbon grid, the excess of water is blotted away at the Vitrobot<\/span>\u00a9<\/span>\u00a0with filter paper and the grid is freeze-plunged in liquid ethane. Samples are then transferred under liquid nitrogen atmosphere to a Gatan TEM cryo-holder equipped with a liquid nitrogen reservoir. That way\u00a0<\/span>samples are handled and observed at T=100K<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n Since organic samples are highly beam-sensitive, Thermofisher\u2019s Low-Dose software is used during cryo-TEM observation to\u00a0<\/span>control the electron dose<\/b>\u00a0and therefore prevent beam damage on the sample.<\/span><\/p>\n All the\u00a0<\/span>analytical tools\u00a0<\/b>of the TEM equipment, such as\u00a0<\/span>Electron Diffraction, EDS and EELS spectroscopy<\/b>\u00a0can be used in cryo-conditions to obtain additional structure and composition information of the vitrified samples.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/lma.unizar.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/cryo-tem3.jpg” title_text=”cryo-tem3″ align=”center” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||17px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|700|on||||||” text_line_height=”2em” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”18px” header_2_line_height=”1.8em” global_colors_info=”{}”](Left) STEM-HAADF image of an alginate sphere containing magnetite nanoparticles. (Middle) EEL spectrum of the O K and Fe L2,3 edges. (Right) Electron diffraction pattern of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles were obtained from the vitrified material in cryo-conditions (sample from Laura de Matteis, INMA. More info: see article online https:\/\/onlinelibrary.wiley.com\/doi\/full\/10.1002\/ppsc.201300153[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” min_height=”179px” custom_margin=”9px||-9px|||” custom_padding=”0px||4px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”4″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”75%” custom_margin=”0px|auto||auto||” custom_padding=”55px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”2911,2910,3029″ posts_number=”3″ show_title_and_caption=”off” show_pagination=”off” module_class=”ilogos” _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_gallery][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#000000″ background_color_gradient_end=”rgba(0,0,0,0.48)” background_color_gradient_overlays_image=”on” background_image=”https:\/\/lma.unizar.es\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/render-lma-1.jpg” custom_margin=”9px|||||” custom_padding=”||42px|||” saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,1_3,1_3″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” max_width=”75%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_line_height=”2em” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Laboratorio de Microscop\u00edas Avanzadas\n<\/p>\n We are a unique initiative at national and international levels. We provide the scientific and industrial community with the most advanced infrastructures in Nanofabrication, Local Probe and Electron Microscopies for the observation, characterization, nanopatterning and handling of materials at atomic and molecular scale.[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.9.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” link_text_color=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Contact information<\/p>\n Campus R\u00edo Ebro, Edificio Edificio I+D+i<\/p>\n Tel.:(+34) 976 762 980 <\/strong><\/a><\/span>
50018<\/span> Zaragoza (Espa\u00f1a)<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
lma@unizar.es<\/strong><\/a><\/span>