US Patent 8207431 - Transmission electron microscope grid formed from nanotube film

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/8207431.html

There is increasing interest in using microgrids in transmission electron microscopy to support powder samples and observe high resolution images but metal mesh grids include undesirable metal oxide impurities. This patent from Beijing FUNATE Innovation Technology teaches using carbon nanotube material instead to avoid impurities in the microgrid. Claim 1 reads:

1. A transmission electron microscope (TEM) micro-grid comprising:

a pure carbon grid having a plurality of holes defined therein;

at least one carbon nanotube film covering the holes; and

wherein the pure carbon grid is a sheet of carbon nanotube structure.