Products: MicroLoops™

MicroLoops™ provide a superior tool for retrieving and mounting small samples of all sorts including crystals, single cells and tissues. In protein and small molecule crystallography, they provide much lower background X-ray scatter than any other loop-style mount. Unique designs are optimized for challenging applications. Polymer tips are attached to beveled non-magnetic 0.025" (0.64 mm) diameter stainless steel rods. Compatible with all standard X-ray hardware, and can be inserted in 0.7 mm mechanical pencils or micromanipulators for easy handling.

Designs

MicroLoops – with circular sample apertures in 8 sizes from 20 to 300 μm.

MicroLoops HT – a thicker version of Microloops. For high-throughput and other applications where robustness and rigidity are more important than achieving the absolute lowest possible background X-ray scatter.

MicroLoops and MicroLoops HT are available in standard and SM versions, the latter having a larger rod tip to sample aperture distance to facilitate data collection at the large inclination angles used in small molecule crystallography.

MicroLoops E - with elongated apertures, for needle or rod-shaped samples. The small fingers projecting into the aperture gently support your sample. Use inclined apertures to improve crystal orientation for the most efficient data collection.

MicroLoops LD – computer-optimized design with longer, thinner necks to minimize disturbance when inserted and withdrawn from small liquid drops, and to reduce turbulence in cold gas streams. Ideal for retrieving samples from sub-microliter drops in high throughput applications, and from microfluidic crystallization cards and chips.

Thick polymer in the neck region makes these mounts rigid in, e.g., liquid drops and cold gas streams. Thin polymer in the loop region ensures the lowest possible background scatter in X-ray diffraction applications. The world’s most advanced loop design.

Features

Compared with other loop-style mounts, MicroLoops™ provide:

• A more convenient and efficient scoop-like action in retrieving crystals that minimizes the chance of crystal loss or damage.
• Excellent rigidity during sample retrieval and in cold gas streams.
• Excellent tip visibility at large inclination angles (important when retrieving samples from small wells) due to beveling of the supporting rod. Rods can be cut using cutters or bent using pliers.
• Much lower background X-ray scatter (roughly 1/3 that of mylar mounts).
• Much more accurate and reproducible sample positioning in the X-ray beam.