Modified freeze fracture direct imaging apparatus and technique

1. A modified freeze fracture direct imaging of a viscous surfactant mesophase method, said method comprising:

providing an environmental chamber having controlled temperature and solvent partial pressure, said chamber having two copper planchettes at the top and bottom;

placing a viscous sample in the chamber on a grid;

without blotting the sample, squeezing the sample between the planchettes into a thin film;

placing the thin film into a liquid to vitrify the sample;

removing the sample from the planchettes to fracture the sample;

placing the sample on a cold stage; and

imaging the sample.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid is ethane.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a liquid nitrogen cooled knife is used to fracture the sample from between the copper plates.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample is examined at varied temperatures.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the speed and pressure of the squeezing of the sample is controlled.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the planchettes are copper.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a saturated solvent is placed within the environmental chamber.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cold stage is nitrogen cooled.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample is vitrified by applying a potential on one of the planchettes relative to ground on the grid.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein a magnetic field gradient is applied to a sample having paramagnetic particles.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample placed into the chamber is highly viscous.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample contains surfactants.