Dear Todd, Dears Alls,
in my lab (Hasylab) many EXAFS users use the glovebox to prepare "air sensitive" samples. We do not know a lot about your samples, but I can say from practical aspect, that in the most cases the sample preperation in the glove box and then closing it in the Kapton tape is sufficient. Some of the users like one side adhesive Kapton dots, which fits to the size of pelets we use (in our case it is 13 mm of diameter). Some of the users use also plastic bags mounted in the glove box on the sample holder to avoid the sample contact with air during the transport to experiment area.
I have also one comment - be aware of some Kaptons - I found that some of them contain a lot of trace elements.
best regards
darek
-----Original Message-----
From: ifeffit-bounces@millenia.cars.aps.anl.gov [mailto:ifeffit-bounces@millenia.cars.aps.anl.gov] On Behalf Of Scott Calvin
Sent: Thursday, August 06, 2009 1:27 AM
To: Todd Monson; XAFS Analysis using Ifeffit
Subject: [Ifeffit] Kapton in glove box

Hi Todd,

I've taken the liberty of posting your question to the Ifeffit mailing list. You're likely to get more accurate and quicker answers to these kinds of questions there.

(For the rest of you: Todd is asking about the technique of preparing air-sensitive samples in a glove box, putting them on Kapton tape, sealing them in plastic bags, and transporting them to the beamline, shooting right through the bags.)

I'll take my shots, though:

It's hard for me to imagine adsorbed oxygen on the Kapton being more significant than the other sources of stray oxygen that can be present in a glove box. After all, the Kapton's in there too. And I don't think it's going to be more significant than the oxygen that diffuses through the plastic bags during transport.

The thinner the Kapton tape, the better, as that will minimize the absorption due to the tape. It used to be hard to find 1 mil Kapton tape with adhesive, but now it's easy. Hephaestus will give you the absorption of Kapton, so you can judge how big an effect it will be at the energies at which you'll work.

--Scott Calvin
Sarah Lawrence College

On Aug 4, 2009, at 2:39 PM, Monson, Todd wrote:

Scott,
Thanks.  Is it pretty reasonable to assume that the kapton tape that you put your samples on doesn’t have any adsorbed oxygen that could affect your samples?  Do you do anything to clean the kapton?  Where are some good places to buy the kapton (and do you need to purchase rather thin kapton tape for doing XAFS)?
Thanks again,
Todd
From: Scott Calvin
Sent: August 04, 2009 11:34 AM
To: Monson, Todd
Cc: Scott Calvin
Subject: Re: mossbauer
Hi Todd,
Regular zip-loc bags work just fine. For heat sealers I've used everything from a heat sealer manufactured for the purpose to a little propane torch--even a cigarette lighter should work. Putting one sealed bag inside another, if the energy you're working at allows it, seems to work quite well.
--Scott
On Aug 4, 2009, at 1:15 PM, Monson, Todd wrote:


Scott,
I had another question – what kind of plastic bags and heat sealers do you use for sealing up your air-sensitive XAFS samples?  And where could I buy them?
Thanks,
Todd