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Applications of thin‐film sandwich crystallization platforms
Author(s) -
Axford Danny,
Aller Pierre,
Sanchez-Weatherby Juan,
Sandy James
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
acta crystallographica section f
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.572
H-Index - 37
ISSN - 2053-230X
DOI - 10.1107/s2053230x16004386
Subject(s) - crystallization , materials science , consumables , diffusion , thin film , flash (photography) , chemical engineering , mineralogy , nanotechnology , optics , chemistry , thermodynamics , physics , engineering
Examples are shown of protein crystallization in, and data collection from, solutions sandwiched between thin polymer films using vapour‐diffusion and batch methods. The crystallization platform is optimal for both visualization and in situ data collection, with the need for traditional harvesting being eliminated. In wells constructed from the thinnest plastic and with a minimum of aqueous liquid, flash‐cooling to 100 K is possible without significant ice formation and without any degradation in crystal quality. The approach is simple; it utilizes low‐cost consumables but yields high‐quality data with minimal sample intervention and, with the very low levels of background X‐ray scatter that are observed, is optimal for microcrystals.