Sample Submission

For internal users, please bring samples to the X-ray Facility located in LM437 in the Lash Miller Chemical Laboratories. Samples will be looked at under a microscope to see whether it is suitable for a diffraction experiment.

For external users, or for those not located on the St. George campus, please contact us prior to sending or bringing a sample.

All samples should be accompanied by the appropriate submission form (see Rates & Forms). Samples should be clearly labeled (preferably on a designated label, paper tag, or piece of tape) and the label should be consistent with the Sample ID on the submission form. Samples grown from solution frequently crystallize with solvent in the lattice, so samples should be left in the mother liquor to avoid desolvation. If there is a large (> 0.5 mL) amount of solvent, it is also preferable to remove most of the supernatant to make crystal harvesting easier. If these suggestions are impractical or are not applicable, please feel free to submit your sample as is.

For sensitive samples: Send us an email to make an appointment so that they are run immediately.

Oxygen or water sensitive crystals should be prepared under an inert atmosphere by suspending crystals in a small amount of mother liquor. A 1- or 2-dram vial sealed tightly (with a fresh cap) will preserve your sample sufficiently for most compounds. If your sample will be outside an inert atmosphere for a prolonged period (> 1 hour), the sample vial can be sealed with electrical tape. The vial can also be placed inside a secondary container (a larger vial, piece of glassware, or bag) filled with inert gas. The secondary container should be sealed in a similar way with electrical tape. In some cases, crystals can be suspended in various oils or greases to further prevent degradation, though this can be troublesome if there is co-crystallized solvent. For very sensitive compounds, it may take several tries to mount a suitable crystal so it is advisable to not package the whole batch of crystals.

Extreme cases might require alternative cryoprotectants or mounting the crystal in a glass capillary. Please contact us in such cases.