Polaron Critical Point Dryer

While traditionally used to prepare samples for scanning electron microscopy, the Polaron Critical Point Dryer can also be used in preparing samples for TEM. The dryer operates by substituting liquid carbon dioxide for an intermediate fluid such as ethanol (which the sample has been dehydrated in). The carbon dioxide is then warmed up, which converts the liquid directly to a gas (at which point the sample is dried), eliminating the high pressure of evaporation of the alcohol from the sample which would collapse delicate three dimensional structures in and on the sample.