The direct measurement of temperature changes within freeze-fracture specimens during rapid quenching in liquid coolants.
We have evaluated the cooling rates of specimens mounted in a variety of freeze-fracture holders when plunged into a series of liquid coolants. these rates were measured using miniature thermocouples placed within the mounted specimens. The most rapid cooling rates were obtained using propane at 83 K as the coolant. When mounted on a newly devised 'copper sandwich' holder, specimen cooling rates in excess of 4500 K/s have been recorded. A simple guillotine-like device for quenching freeze-fracture specimens under reproducible conditions is presented.
D005617:Chlorofluorocarbons, Methane; D005614:Freeze Fracturing / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009584:Nitrogen; D011407:Propane; D013696:Temperature; D013814:Thermal Conductivity
D005617:Chlorofluorocarbons, Methane; D009584:Nitrogen; D011407:Propane