DiATOME Ultra Diamond Knife

ROOM TEMPERATURE ULTRA-THIN DiATOME DIAMOND KNIVES

The Ultra knives are available with 35 and 45 degree angles. The optimal thickness range for cutting with these knives is between 30 - 150nm. Sizes range from 1.5 - 4.0mm as a standard. Other sizes are available upon request. All of the knives are tested within a thickness range of 30 - 150nm. Whether your needs are biological or materials related, in EM or LM, we have a knife to suit your needs.

Ultra 45°

Recognised as the knife for routine sectioning. It is a good compromise between section quality and durability.

The 45° knife is recommended for the sectioning of extremely hard and brittle materials such as ceramics. In this domain it has replaced the formerly recommended 55° knife.

Ultra 35°

The capabilities of the 35° diamond knives have been shown in two publications by J.Jésior (Ref 3, 4). He proved markedly reduced compression, smoother section surfaces and better structural preservation with the use of our 35° diamond knives.

In the meantime a great number of scientists have noticed and recognised the advantages of the 35° knives for the sectioning of Lowicryls, inhomogenous samples such as undecalcified bone, dental materials, etc.

The 35° knives have proved advantageous in the sectioning of soft industrial samples such as metals and polymers, as well as for hard and brittle samples, for example semiconductors (Si, GaAs, etc), superconducting oxides, nanocrystalline ceramics.

The use of 35° knives leads to reduced compression in soft samples and to less breaking in hard and brittle samples.

Rat muscle (Quadriceps) x 23'000
Werner Graber, Anatomisches Institut, Bern.

References

J.C. Jésior: Use of low-angle diamond knives leads to improved ultrastructural preservation of ultrathin sections. Scanning Microscopy Supplement 3, pp. 17-153, 1989. Scanning Microscopy International,
Chicago (AMF O'Hare) IL 6066 USA.
L. Edelmann: Freeze-substitution and the preservation of diffusable ions. Journal of Microscopy, Vol. 161, pp. 217-228, 1991.
G. Mahon and T. Malis: Ultramicrotomy of Nano-crystalline Materials. Microscopy Research and Technique, Vol. 31, pp. 267-274, 1995.
S.R. Glanvill: Ultramicrotomy of Semiconductors and Related Materials. Microscopy Research and Technique, Vol. 31, pages 267-274, 1995.
P. Swab abd R.E. Klinger: Preparation of multilayer coatings for cross-sectional Microanalysis by Ultramicrotomy. Mat. Res. Soc. Symp. Proc. Vol. 115, pages 229-234, 1989.
P. Swab: Ultra-microscopy of Diamond Films for TEM Cross-Section Analysis. Microscopy Research and Technique, Vol. 31, pp. 308-310, 1995.
C. Quintana: Ultramicrotomy for Cross-sections of Nanostructure. Micron Vol. 28, No. 3, pages 217-219, 1997.
Y. Maniette: Microtomy, a convenient method for preparing TEM samples in ceramic science. Journal of Material Science Letters 9, pages 48-50, 1990.
P. Schubert-Bischoff and T. Krist: Fast cross-sectioning technique for thin films by Ultramicrotomy. Microscopy and Microanalysis, proceedings, page 359, 1997.
J.L. Guerquin-Kern, T.D. Wu, C. Quintana, A. Croisy: Progress in analytical imaging of the cell by dynamic secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS microscopy). BBA 1724, pp. 228-238, 2005.