Luxel FAQ

Product Availability

• When will LUXFilm TEM supports be available to purchase?
• Can I make LUXFilm myself?
• Can I get LUXFilm on gold or gilded grids?
• Can I get LUXFilm with holes?
• Can I get a custom thickness?
• I use Synaptek (or other specialty) grids. Can I get LUXFilm on different grid blanks?

Product Performance

• How does LUXFilm compare to SiN grids available commercially?
• Is LUXFilm hydrophilic?
• Is LUXFilm electrically conductive?
• I want to do x-ray microanalysis of my specimen using LUXFilm. What chemical signals should I expect from the film?

Product Availability

When will LUXFilm TEM supports be available to purchase?
Products are available now; Please contact Emgrid Australia for pricing and availability.

Can I make LUXFilm myself?
No. LUXFilm is made through a proprietary process.

Can I get LUXFilm on gold or gilded grids?
Yes, but gold or gilded grids are not presently part of the LUXFilm line. For a support for immunogold, other immune-labeling protocols, or cell culture, please try our standard nickel grids. For gold, please Contact Us for a custom quote.

Can I get LUXFilm with holes?
No. Holey LUXFilm is not offered at this time.

Can I get a custom thickness?
Yes, depending on the grid style, LUXFilm can be made thinner or thicker to order. There will be a minimum order required. please Contact Us for a custom quote.

I use Synaptek (or other specialty) grids. Can I get LUXFilm on different grid blanks?
Yes, and no. The LUXFilm grid blanks that are offered provide stiffness equivalent to many commercial grids. You should find them easy to handle. However, our process does not accommodate specialty grids with handles or clamshells. These would have to be quoted on an individual basis. please Contact Us for a custom quote.

Product Performance
How does LUXFilm compare to SiN grids available commercially?
The 2mm LUXFilm open aperture support is larger than any SiN membrane window presently offered. LUXFilm is a polymeric film, so its chemical composition differs from SiN. LUXFilm contains C-H-O and N

Is LUXFilm hydrophilic?
Yes, most users have found that plastic sections, 2D crystallized membrane proteins, and many other particles adhere very well to LUXFilm. Common treatments such as Alsatian blue, mild detergent, and glow discharge may be used prior to negative staining. Cryosections may still require mechanical attachment, so LUXFilm should be ordered in a gridded or parallel bar configuration. Luxel can also perform additional surface treatment to increase wetting.

Is LUXFilm electrically conductive?
The films are not conductive per se, however, user input has told us they do not display charging effects in use. If you require carbon coating for conductivity, the films will stand up to this – but, we’d ask you try some as they are first.

I want to do x-ray microanalysis of my specimen using LUXFilm. What chemical signals should I expect from the film?
LUXFilm contains only C, H, O, and N. The films are fabricated and the supports are assembled in a clean-controlled facility.