Drying microscope slides and fixing them is a crucial step in preparing high-quality SEM samples. The best drying and fixing methods, as well as how to control environmental conditions for optimum results, can be summarized.

Concerning drying techniques, the traditional method of air drying is very simple but may cause cell shrinkage and loss of surface features in soft biological materials. A better way to overcome these limitations includes improved fixation strategies such as air drying after treating with glutaraldehyde, tannic acid, guanidine hydrochloride and osmium tetraoxide (GTGO).This approach allows one to keep the surface features intact even after air drying.

Regarding fixation methods on the other hand, GTGO combination that involves glutaraldehyde, tannic acid, guanidine hydrochloride and osmium tetraoxide can effectively fix soft biological specimens, minimize cell shrinkage and maximize retention of surface features. Additionally, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) provides unique opportunity to observe the process of water-based material drying e.g. polymer latex. This helps alleviate the high evaporation rate caused by temperature and pressure changes by adding a drop of water into the sample chamber thereby allowing successful imaging of film formation process.

In respect to controlling environmental conditions it has been found that adjusting spin coating speed alters particle dispersion state thus affecting appearance and optical properties of resulting films. For instance in case particle diameter surpasses 2 microns their appearance or turbidity will not depend on any particular types of dryness rather will be governed by spinning rate only. In case particles are 100 nm in size; there is much effect on both appearance or turbidity brought about by changing the method used during dryness where radiant>convection>conduction.

Using GTGO fixation strategy combined with air-drying offers an effective option for improving microscope slide preservation while ESEM technology enables introduction of moisture into sample chamber for water-based substances drying.

References

1. C. Royall and A. Donald. “Optimisation of the environmental scanning electron microscope for observation of drying of matt water-based lacquers..” Scanning (2006).305-13 .

2. H. Gamliel. “Optimum fixation conditions may allow air drying of soft biological specimens with minimum cell shrinkage and maximum preservation of surface features..” Scanning electron microscopy (1985).1649-64.

3. Hiroshi Yoshiba, H. Imakoma et al. “Control of Optical Characteristic by Coating and Drying.” (2007). 48-52.