• Muscovite mica on page G9
• For easy handling of coverglass see vacuum wands on page T12
• Handi-Vac® coverslip pick-up tool on page E7
• Borosilicate glass properties

Most of our coverglass is packaged 100/box. It is the finest available, very flat but flexible, made by Schott in Germany from clear, optically superior borosilicate, hydrolytic class 1. glass. Polished clean and ready to use. Refractive index is 1.524 plus/minus 0.002 Ne (Hg 'e' line 546mm).To facilitate price comparisons with the frequently quoted, but obsolete ounces (28g), we have included the net weight per box of some coverglass in the descriptions; this is based on dimensions and the specific weight of 2.52.

Special orders must be for at least 10x100 slips; prices would be similar to comparable sizes below, but if they are a non standard size a surcharge may apply.
Our German manufacturer Knittel is one of the largest slide and slip producers. These coverslips are not "stretched window glass", and they have much better optical and chemical qualities than other manufacturers offer. Our coverslips conform to CE archiving requirements.

Standard thickness
No.0 ......... 0.08 ‐ 0.12 mm
No.1 ......... 0.13 ‐ 0.17 mm
No.1.5........ 0.16 ‐ 0.19 mm
No.2 ......... 0.19 ‐ 0.23 mm
No.3 ......... 0.28 ‐ 0.32 mm
No.4 ......... 0.38 ‐ 0.42 mm
No.5 ......... 0.50 ‐ 0.60 mm

All our coverglass for standard size slides is of the optically preferred - 0.13 to 0.17mm. European manufacture. See also two sizes of elongated cover slips for Leighton tubes on this page.
G416 is a non-standard size, therefore is more expensive.

Thickness #1 (i . e. 0.13 - 0.17 mm) borosilicate glass of hydrolytic class 1, precisely cut in accordance with ISO 8255/1, without streaks and blisters. Packed in boxes of 100 pieces and in cartons of 10 boxes = 1000 coverslips. Specially treated surface to avoid sticking and for faster separation of the slips. These coverslips are packed for Shandon and Medite Cover-Slippers, but will suit other instruments too, and they may be used as bulk packs for manual coverslipping.

Our Chinese‐made coverslips are very clean and well cut from borosilicate (white) glass; they are all No. 1 (standard) thickness of 0.13 ‐ 0.17 mm.
Packing is in a single size plastic box for any size slips with a foam packing insert to accommodate various sizes. Five boxes are vacuum‐packed in an aluminium envelope ‐ we open that for single boxes.

Slightly thicker No 1.5 (0.155-0.185mm) coverglass is used for extra strength.
This includes large and very large coverglasses. The item LCP coverglass, G426-11277, may be used as our largest coverglass available.

These cover slips may be used for extra large histological or petrological sections. In combination with LCP base plate they are suitable for the Lipidic Cubic Phase (LCP) technique. Use Rainex to make the surface hydrophobic.

Manufactured from clear-white borosilicate glass. They offer super clarity, are perfectly flat and corrosion resistant.

0.17 to 0.21mm thick, 25.4mm diameter, 1 per package.
Square 25.4mm slips and 76mm x 25.4mm slides are available, but minimum order of 10 pieces please.

All our polished quartz slides and cover glasses are manufactured from G.E. 124 Fused Quartz. They are polished to a 80/50 scratch/dig. This equates to a 5 micron or better finish.
Note: ProSciTech can supply, on indent, a range of quartz products including Flasks, Beakers, Crucibles, Wool, Frits and Tubes.

Machined quartz - Optical properties

The optical properties of fused quartz let us choose between various types, because the degree of transparency defines material purity and the method of manufacture.
Certain indicators are the UV cutoff and the presence or absence of bands at 245nm and 2.73µm. The UV cutoff varies from 155 to 175nm for a 10mm thick test sample. The presence of transition metallic impurities will move the UV cutoff towards longer wavelengths.
The curves in the figure represent the average transmissions for a 10mm thick test sample for both commercial and optical grades. Fused quartz is very efficient for the transmission of infrared radiation. Infrared transmission extends out approximately 4 micrometers, with little absorption in the “water band” at 2.73µm.

These are some of the remarkable fused quartz properties.

Ask for your fused quartz requirements

Thermanox™ or TMX coverslips are made of a polymer, in the polyolefin family, that is highly resistant to most chemicals. They are resistant to alcohols, aldehydes, hydrocarbons, dilute acids (<10%) and dilute alkalis (<2%). Thermanox™ has limited resistance to chlorinated hydrocarbons and it is not resistant to concentrated acids or bases. It is a flexible transparent polymer that can be easily sectioned by using a microtome and is able to withstand low and high temperatures (‐70°C to + 150°C).

Unbreakable coverslips, these have been treated for optimum cell attachment and growth. Useful in most tissue culture applications in place of glass coverslips. Thermanox coverslips have the same thickness as No.1.5 glass coverslips. They are made of a special solvent‐resistant plastic material with very low gas permeability. Cell attachment and growth are comparable to polystyrene and glass. Thermanox may be used with amyl acetate, glutaraldehyde or propylene oxide for EM preparations. Also resistant to acetone, alcohol, xylene and other commonly used solvents. Can be easily cut with scissors. It is a flexible, transparent polymer that can be sectioned using a microtome and withstands high temperatures (‐70°C to +150 °C). Supplied sterile.

Thermanox® coverslips are culture treated on one side for enhanced cell attachment and growth. The treated side is packaged face up toward the label.

LifterSlip™ offers a simple solution to the problem of hybridisation non‐uniformity. An innovative raised edge design provides separation and allows for even dispersal of hybridisation solution between the DNA chip and coverslip. LifterSlips™ allow for increased data quality by eliminating gradients caused by floating standard coverslips on hybridisation solutions. The printed bars allow for easy injection of hybridisation solution under the pre‐positioned coverslips. Capillary attraction ensures that LifterSlip™ stays in place. Depending on size and design configuration LifterSlip™ can hold a range of volumes.
LifterSlip™ is No.2 thickness (0.20‐0.22 mm) and the bar height is 0.04‐0.06 mm.

• Hybridisation & cell culture slides/vessels on H5

These coverslips have a grid pattern etched onto #1.5 (0.17‐0.25mm) thickness cover slips. On the 25mm round slips there are 200 coded areas. Unique grid pattern, numbered 1 to 200 squares, each 500µm width. The other sizes have 520 coded squares. The appearance of the etched pattern is shown in the photograph. The squares are visible under brightfield and have high contrast when using phase contrast microscopy.
These slips are used to facilitate mounting of micromanipulated cells or chromosome spreads.
Reference: Lin, Lin‐Fang and Frank H. Riddle 1981. Photoengraving of Cover Slips and Slides to Facilitate Mounting of Micromanipulated Cells or Chromosome Spreads, Exp. Res. 134:485‐488.

Fungi-Tape is an efficient way for the preparation of slide mounts of fungi from primary cultures. The adhesive tape is sufficiently pliable to make a tape loop for sampling a fungal culture. This product is compatible with MycoPerm to produce a long lasting coverslip. Each roll contains approximately 360 coverslips.

Fungi tape was developed for use with MycoPerm Permanent mycology mounting & staining medium and is available for purchase as a kit, saving you 10%.

If this item shows as a backorder, please ask for stock level as we may be able to find available stock in a kit.

A unique film reticle for use in Correlative Microscopy. Designed specifically to allow identification and location of a particular area of interest under brightfield or fluorescence microscopes and then sectioning for electron microscopy.

All coverslips are 22 x 22mm and 0.18mm thickness.
Products developed in conjunction with Nacer Benmeradi, PhD of CNRS Toulouse and Delta Microscopies, France.

Reticle film has been thoroughly tested with cell culture

• Good growth of cell culture (equivalent to conventional media)
• Good adhesion to the substrate without cell polylysine

Physical and chemical qualities

• Resistant to normal chemicals used in electron microscopy
• No oxygen retention, compatible resin LR White
• Good optical quality in brightfield & UV fluorescence
• Excellent transparency
• Does not deform at temperatures (positive 100C and negative liquid N2)
• Rigid, does not float in the middle of culture
• Easy to handle and cut with a knife or micro-punch
• Simple sterilisation using alcohol or UV
• Detaches easily from resin after polymerisation
• Low cost

Applications
Light microscopy, fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-pressure cryofixation.

Correlative microscopy coverslips

See Kingsley (3) for an explanation of these points:

• separates easily from epoxy
• transparent fluorinated-chlorinated thermoplastic without volatile components
• chemically inert for all practical purposes
• cells adhere to it readily and remain attached after fixation, dehydration and critical point drying or embedding
• accepts heavy metal sputter coating
• stable in SEM; melting point 202°C
• ACLAR® is as transparent as glass
• fluorescence microscopy possible since ACLAR® exhibits no detectable auto fluorescence
• can be sectioned without damaging ultramicrotomy knives
• considerably simplifies the preparation of cultured cells for all types of microscopy
• sterilisable
• gives flat sections
• smooth surface makes LM observations possible
• does not degrade under UV or gamma ray radiation
• used as an O₂ barrier when flat embedding methacrylate or acrylic resins

Description and Ordering of ACLAR® Film
The 1968 paper by E.B. Masurovsky (1) and R.P. Bunge was the first to describe and clearly demonstrate the useful chemical and physical properties of ACLAR® for both tissue culture and electron microscopy. It was first used in the space program and its properties were found to be valuable for biomedical research (personal communication, Dr. E. Masurovsky). Subsequent work, especially by Mawe (2), et al and the comprehensive ACLAR study by Kingsley and Cole (3) developed ACLAR's applications.
Because of its chemical inertness, non-stick property, glass clarity, flexibility and smooth surface ACLAR solves several problems in the processing of tissue culture cells during their epoxy embedding, sectioning and study.
ACLAR may be cut with scissors or blades and does not damage microtomy knives. It is unsurpassed as a moisture barrier, it is transparent to UV and is plasticiser and stabiliser free. It is nonflammable, non-ageing and has a low dielectric constant and dissipation. It is high in dielectric strength. ACLAR can be sterilised.
Fresh material may be cut on a vibrating tissue slicer, treated with HRP and then placed on ACLAR cut into a slide shape; observed under LM and if satisfactory the process for TEM may be completed.

Chemical Resistance Data

Chemical Resistance Data

References, ACLAR® Film

1. Masurovsky EB, Bunge RP: Cover slips for long-term nerve tissue culture. Stain Technology, 43, 3, 161 - 165 (1968)
2. Mawe GM, Bresnahan JC, Beattie, , MS: Ultrastructure of HRP-labelled neurons: a comparison of two sensitive techniques. Brain Research Bulletin, 10, 551 (1983)
3. Kingsley RE, Cole NL: Preparation of cultured mammalian cells for transmission and scanning electron microscopy using Aclar film. J of Electron Microscopy Technique, 10, 77-85 (1988)

ACLAR® is supplied in packets of ten sheets.
An 11mm disk punch is available.