Specimen preparation method freeze fracture-etching

An excellent review of freeze fracturing is found in a chapter by McNutt [362]. The method has been described for preparation of biological membranes. An older, improved version of the method was described by Steere [363] and Moor et al. [364], while a review of the method and application to membranes was described by Branton [365]. The method involves cementing a 1-2 mm piece of the material onto a copper disk with gum arabic dissolved in 20% glycerin and then transferring the material to liquid Freon 22 (chlorodifluoromethane). The specimen is fractured with a cold knife in a vacuum evaporator, and it may be etched prior to replication. A replica can be cast on the surface of the hydrated... 

The formation of micelles, or colloidal particles, by block copolymers in organic solvents has been described and reviewed by Price [2881. The molecular weight of polystyrene was estimated from specimens prepared by spraying and evaporation for TEM. Freeze etching a drop of solution rapidly frozen with liquid nitrogen [289] was described (Section 4.9.4) where the solvent was allowed to evaporate and a replica produced of the fracture surface. Another method [290]... 

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