LV CryoOil™ is a low viscosity, low surface tension perfluoropolyether oil with extremely low vapor pressure, excellent chemical inertness and excellent thermal stability. It is ideal for cryprotection and for protection against dehydration and oxidation, especially of very small crystals.

The ice rings seen in the diffraction patterns of flash cooled protein crystals arise primarily from crystallization of the aqueous solution surrounding the crystal, not of the internal solvent. Oils can displace and replace this surrounding solution with little risk of damage due to osmotic shock.
However, when mineral oil, Paratone oil and other high viscosity oils are used, the volume of surrounding oil can exceed the crystal volume by a factor of 10 or more, and can contribute excess drag that increases sample motion in a cryostream.
LV CryoOil™ has the lowest viscosity of any available perfluoropolyether oil (1/10 that of Paratone oil and comparable to that of vegetable oil), and a very low surface tension (less than 1/3 that of water.
Consequently, a dip in this oil followed by gentle tapping to shake off excess can yield protective oil films on your crystal of as little as 10 microns thick.

Each vial contains 1.5 ml of oil, enough to protect hundreds of crystals.

Please contact xtals@jenabioscience.com with questions or inquiries.