Carbon Rods and Threads for Carbon Evaporation, Carbon Rod Sharpener

PELCO easiShaper™ Carbon Rod Shaper Kit for 1/4" Rods	NEW PELCO easiShaper™ Carbon Rod Shaper Kit for 1/8" Carbon Rods	Carbon Rod Hand Shapers	Carbon Powder
Carbon Rods	Pointed Carbon Rods	Double Step Carbon Rods	Carbon Fiber for Evaporation

Carbon: Introduction
with permission, based on Ian M. Watt’s book¹ and article⁴

Density: 2.2gm cm^-3
Melting Point: around 3550°C
Evaporation Temperature: 2400°C
- Temperature at which a substance has a vapor pressure of 1.33 x 10^-2 mbar (arbitrary)
Average Thickness: 23nm at 5µg cm^-2 in nm
Uses:
- TEM substrates, replicas
- SEM coating of non-conducting samples for x-ray analysis
- EBSD: coating of non-conducting samples with an amorphous layer
- Microprobe: coating of non-conducting samples with highly conductive layer

Carbon films are uniformly amorphous and highly transparent to electrons because carbon has a low atomic weight. Due to their strongly interconnected three-dimensional network structure, carbon films have remarkable mechanical stability, even when as thin as 1 - 2nm³.

At thicknesses used in electron microscopy from about 2nm upwards carbon films are chemically inert, continuous and basically free from self-structure except for a speckled appearance visible at only the highest magnifications.

Carbon depositions produce a film around the sides and back of specimens without specimen rotation (see EM picture to left). This may be explained by the deflection of light carbon atoms out of straight-line flight by collisions with gas molecules and with the walls or obstructions in a vacuum chamber.

SDS for all Carbon & Graphite Products (95KB PDF)

References:
1. Watt IM, 1985. The principles and practice of electron microscopy. Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-25557-0.
2. Bradley DE, 1954. Evaporated carbon films for use in electron microscopy. Br J Appl Phys, 5, 65-66.
3. Hayat MA, 1981. Principles and techniques of electron microscopy, Vol 1 (2nd Ed), University Park Press.
4. Watt IM, November, 1991. Carbon - The electron microscopist’s most useful element. Microscopy and Analysis, pp 21-23.

PELCO easiShaper™ Carbon Rod Shaper

NEW 1/8" Kit Available!

	• Easy, quick, precise and clean carbon rod shaping • Supports 1/4", 1/8" and 3/16" carbon rods • Shapes single and double step carbon rods • Integrated dust collector • Ergonomic & space saving design • Easy cutting blade adjustment

The PELCO easiShaper™ is an electric motor driven carbon rod sharpener which offers easy, quick, and clean carbon rod shaping for carbon evaporators using either 1/4", 1/8", or 3/16" carbon or graphite rods. It is ideally suited for busy, multiple user, high throughput labs. The vertical design of the unit makes operation easy and saves valuable space. It presents a clean alternative to hand rod shapers producing more consistent, smooth, and uniform carbon tips. The PELCO easiShaper™ is designed for cutting single and double step carbon rods (used in the Cressington carbon coaters). The cutting head incorporates two tungsten carbide cutting blades, a top guiding bearing, and vortex design to keep the carbon dust in the integrated dust collector. The carbon rod holder holds the carbon rod and is inserted in the top guiding bearing to produce precision cut tips. The dust collector is easily removed for cleaning and/or blade adjustment. Universal power supply for 100-240V and 50/60Hz which is UL/CUL and CE certified. Each PELCO easiShaper™ is capable of shaping the three different rod sizes mentioned above, but for convenience, the PELCO easiShaper™ comes kitted ready to sharpen the two most popular carbon rod sizes, 1/4" and 1/8" carbon rods (3/16" possible with purchase of holder #58-16). The PELCO easiShaper™ kit for 1/4" carbon rods (Product #58) includes a 1/4" carbon rod holder and a blade setting gauge able to set the blades to a single 1mm diameter step or double steps with 1.65mm and 3.8mm diameters. The kit available for shaping 1/8" rods (Product #58-100) includes a 1/8" rod holder and gauge that can be used to set the blades to produce single step 1mm or 1.2mm diameter tip carbon rods. Images of the holders and gauges in each kit, along with carbon rod shapes possible from these combinations, can be found below.

1/4" Kit (Product #58)
shown with PELCO easiShaper™, Gauge, Carbon Rod Holder, and Supported Carbon Rod Tip Sizes

NEW 1/8" Kit (Product #58-100)
shown with PELCO easiShaper™, Gauge, Carbon Rod Holder,
and Supported Carbon Rod Tip Sizes

Specifications
Nominal Carbon Rod Sizes	1/4" 1/8" 3/16" with applicable rod holder for each
Shaped Steps	Single or double step
Cutting Blades	Dual Tungsten Carbide with 4 usable cutting edges on each blade
Cutter Speed	2350 rpm
Height	168mm / 6-5/8"
Diameter	114mm / 4.5"
Collector Capacity	56ml / 2 fl oz
Humidity Range	8 -90%
Weight	2.07kg / 4.6lbs
Power Requirements	100-240V, 47-63Hz
Power Rating	1.2A@115V or 0.6A@230V

Ordering Information for PELCO easiShaper™

Manufactured in USA

Prod #

Description

Unit

Price

Order / Quote

PELCO easiShaper™ Carbon Rod Shaper System, for 1/4" Carbon Rods, 100-240V

each

$995.00

Qty:

58-100

NEW PELCO easiShaper™ Carbon Rod Shaper System for 1/8" Carbon Rods, 100-240V

each

995.00

Qty:

58-4

Replacement Carbon Rod Holder for 1/4" Carbon Rods

each

49.50

Qty:

58-5

Replacement 1/4" Blade Setting Gauge for Single or Double Step

each

22.50

Qty:

58-8

Replacement Carbon Rod Holder for 1/8" Carbon Rods

each

49.50

Qty:

58-6

Replacement 1/8" Blade Setting Gauge for Single Step

each

22.50

Qty:

58-16

Additional Carbon Rod Holder for 3/16" Carbon Rods

each

49.50

Qty:

58-10

Additional Cutting Head Assembly

each

225.00

Qty:

58-20

Replacement Dust Collector Container

each

89.50

Qty:

57-12

Replacement Cutting Blades for the PELCO easiShaper™

pkg/2

20.45

Qty:

Carbon Rods

Graphite Rods for microscopy evaporation and carbon coaters

The carbon rods are offered in either spectroscopically pure or technical grades for standard electron microscopy evaporation requirements using carbon coaters. Due to the purification process used all carbon rods we supply have a graphite structure. The purification process removes impurities at a high temperature and causes the carbon to crystallize. The graphite structure has no adverse effects on the carbon coating or the carbon coating process. The user might perceive an additional advantage: the carbon rods (graphite rods) are less brittle than the carbon rods and are easier to handle and easier to shape.

Technical grade carbon rods have a typical impurity level of around 50ppm or greater. Typical applications are non critical SEM or SEM/EDS coating of non-conducting samples.

"Spec-Pure" (spectroscopically pure) grade is available for carbon (graphite) rods with impurities equal or less than 2ppm (single element 1 ppm or less). Typically the impurity level is more likely 1ppm or less. This grade should be used for TEM, FESEM, FIB, WDS, EBSD, Microprobe and more critical SEM/EDS applications.

Sizes of Carbon Rods

Grade 1 Spec-Pure Carbon Rods

Spectroscopically pure graphite structure carbon rods with an impurity level of 2ppm or less with 1ppm as maximum level for each element. Trace elements can be Si, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca or B (less than or equal to 1ppm). The rods are all 12" long with three nominal diameters (1/8", 3/16" and 1/4") to comply with the carbon source used in different high vacuum carbon evaporators. Highly recommended for TEM, FESEM, FIB, WDS, EBSD, Microprobe and more critical SEM/EDS applications. Density 1.10 g/cm³, resistivity 67 µΩm, hardness 32 shore, and porosity 29%.

Made in USA

61-15