ASTM E211-82(2016)

Standard Specification for Cover Glasses and Glass Slides for Use in Microscopy

ABSTRACT
This specification describes the required properties and corresponding test methods for glass covers and slides for use in routine microscopy. The covers and slides comply to specified requirements as to dimension, planeness and parallelism, corrosion resistance, and workmanship. They shall also be tested for their conformance to other properties such as index of refraction, clarity, resistance to boiling, solubility, and wettability.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification describes glass covers and slides for use in routine microscopy.  
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Aug-2016
• ICS: 37.020 - Optical equipment
• Technical Committee: E41 - Laboratory Apparatus
• Drafting Committee: E41.01 - Laboratory Ware and Supplies

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:E211 −82 (Reapproved 2016)
Standard Specification for
1
Cover Glasses and Glass Slides for Use in Microscopy
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E211; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3.1.3 Thickness—The thickness shall be as follows:
Number Thickness, mm
1.1 This specification describes glass covers and slides for
1 0.13 to 0.17
use in routine microscopy.
A
1
1 ⁄2 0.16 to 0.19
2 0.17 to 0.25
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
standard. No other units of measurement are included in this
A
Specified as optimum by most microscope manufacturers.
standard.
3.2 Limited Use—The following sizes while recognized,
2. Glass find limited use and are generally not as readily available.
3.2.1 Square—18, 24 and 25 mm on a side.
2.1 Cover Glass—Glassshallbecolorless,transparentglass,
3.2.2 Rectangular—24 by 55 mm, 35 by 50 mm, 45 by 50
sufficiently free of pits, bubbles, or cloudiness so as not to
mm, 20 by 26 mm and 20 by 40 mm.
interfere with end-use performance. Such defects shall be
3.2.3 Circular—18, 22 or 25 mm in diameter.
regarded as major defects and limited accordingly. Inspection
3.2.4 Thickness—Thickness Number 0, 0.08 to 0.13 mm.
shall be by the unaided eye in a good light viewing a single
cover glass at a time. Refractive index at sodium D line (589.3 3.3 Tolerance—Tolerance on dimensions other than thick-
nm) shall be 1.523 6 0.005.
ness shall be 60.5 mm.
2.2 Glass Slides—Glass slides covered by this specification 3.4 Blood Counting Chambers—The dimensions of cover
shall consist of colorless, transparent glass which may have a
glasses for blood counting chambers shall be as follows:
A A B
slight greenish tint when viewed edgewise. It shall be suffi-
Length, mm width, mm Thickness, mm
ciently free of pits, nicks, bubbles, striae, scratches, and 20 21 0.4 or 0.6
20 26 0.4 or 0.6
cloudiness when observed by the unaided eye so as not to
25 28 0.4 or 0.6
impair end-use performance. Index of refraction at the sodium
D line (589.3 nm) shall be 1.50 to 1.54. A
The tolerance on length and width shall be ±1.0 mm.
B
The tolerance on thickness shall be ±0.06 mm.
COVER GLASSES
4. Planeness
3. Dimensions
4.1 General Use—Cover glass may be expected to pass the
3.1 General Use—The dimensions of cover glass for gen-
test as described in 14.1.
eral use shall be as follows:
4.2 Blood Counting Chambers—Cover glass shall be plane
3.1.1 Square—22 mm on a side.
within0.002mmonbothsidesandshallpasstheplanenesstest
3.1.2 Rectangular—22 by 30, 22 by 40, 22 by 50, or 22 by
as described in 16.2.
60 mm and 24 by 30, 24 by 40, 24 by 50, and 24 by 60 mm.
5. Corrosion Resistance
5.1 While no corrosion tests for cover glasses are hereby
required, when desired for critical use, use the test in 14.2.
GLASS SLIDES
6. Dimensions
6.1 General Use:
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E41 on
6.1.1 Size—75.5 by 25.5 6 0.8 mm.
Laboratory Apparatus and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E41.01 on
Laboratory Ware and Supplies. 6.1.2 Thickness A—1.0 6 0.15 mm.
Current edition approved Sept. 1, 2016. Published September 2016. Originally
Thickness B—1.2 6 0.15 mm.
approved in 1963. Last previous edition approved in 2010 as E211–82(2010).
DOI: 10.1520/E0211-82R16. 6.2 Darkfield and Interference Microscopy:
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
E211−82 (2016)
6.2.1 Size—75.5 by 25.5 6 0.8 mm. packagesmaybewrappedinamoisture-proofbarriermaterial,
6.2.2 Thickness C—1.20 6 0.005 mm. either singly or in groups to reduce field contamination,
Thickness D—0.90 6 0.075 mm. sticking and to extend shelf life.
Thickness E—1.50 6 0.05 mm.
TEST METHODS
6.3 Embryology—37.5 6 0.8 or 50.5 6 0.8 by 75.5 6 0.8
mm.
12. Index of Refraction
6.3.1 Thickness—Same as either thickness A or thickness B
12.1 Measure with a refractometer and sodium (yellow)
in 6.1 on general-use glass slides.
light.
6.4 Petrography:
13. Clarity
6.4.1 Size—25.5 by 45.5, 27 by 46, or 28 by 48 6 0.8 mm.
6.4.2 Thickness—Same as thickness A or B under general-
13.1 Examine the defects by the unaided eye. This means
use slides.
the use of an emmetropic eye or an ametropic eye corrected to
normal vision without further magnification. Examine cover
7. Planeness and Parallelism
glasses in good light in front of a dark surface. Examine
7.1 General Use—No requirements.
general-use slides with daylight or diffuse uniform artificial
light against a uniform dark background
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: E211 − 82 (Reapproved 2010) E211 − 82 (Reapproved 2016)
Standard Specification for
1
Cover Glasses and Glass Slides for Use in Microscopy
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E211; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope
1.1 This specification describes glass covers and slides for use in routine microscopy.
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.
2. Glass
2.1 Cover Glass—Glass shall be colorless, transparent glass, sufficiently free of pits, bubbles, or cloudiness so as not to interfere
with end-use performance. Such defects shall be regarded as major defects and limited accordingly. Inspection shall be by the
unaided eye in a good light viewing a single cover glass at a time. Refractive index at sodium D line (589.3 nm) shall be 1.523
6 0.005.
2.2 Glass Slides—Glass slides covered by this specification shall consist of colorless, transparent glass which may have a slight
greenish tint when viewed edgewise. It shall be sufficiently free of pits, nicks, bubbles, striae, scratches, and cloudiness when
observed by the unaided eye so as not to impair end-use performance. Index of refraction at the sodium D line (589.3 nm) shall
be 1.50 to 1.54.
COVER GLASSES
3. Dimensions
3.1 General Use—The dimensions of cover glass for general use shall be as follows:
3.1.1 Square—22 mm on a side.
3.1.2 Rectangular—22 by 30, 22 by 40, 22 by 50, or 22 by 60 mm and 24 by 30, 24 by 40, 24 by 50, and 24 by 60 mm.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E41 on Laboratory Apparatus and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E41.01 on
ApparatusLaboratory Ware and Supplies.
Current edition approved July 1, 2010Sept. 1, 2016. Published July 2010September 2016. Originally approved in 1963. Last previous edition approved in 20052010 as
E211 – 82 (2005).(2010). DOI: 10.1520/E0211-82R10.10.1520/E0211-82R16.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
E211 − 82 (2016)
3.1.3 Thickness—The thickness shall be as follows:
Number Thickness, mm
1 0.13 to 0.17
A
1
1 ⁄2 0.16 to 0.19
2 0.17 to 0.25
A
Specified as optimum by most microscope manufacturers.
3.2 Limited Use—The following sizes while recognized, find limited use and are generally not as readily available.
3.2.1 Square—18, 24 and 25 mm on a side.
3.2.2 Rectangular—24 by 55 mm, 35 by 50 mm, 45 by 50 mm, 20 by 26 mm and 20 by 40 mm.
3.2.3 Circular—18, 22 or 25 mm in diameter.
3.2.4 Thickness—Thickness Number 0, 0.08 to 0.13 mm.
3.3 Tolerance—Tolerance on dimensions other than thickness shall be 60.5 mm.
3.4 Blood Counting Chambers—The dimensions of cover glasses for blood counting chambers shall be as follows:
A A B
Length, mm width, mm Thickness, mm
20 21 0.4 or 0.6
20 26 0.4 or 0.6
25 28 0.4 or 0.6
A
The tolerance on length and width shall be ±1.0 mm.
B
The tolerance on thickness shall be ±0.06 mm.
4. Planeness
4.1 General Use—Cover glass may be expected to pass the test as described in 14.1.
4.2 Blood Counting Chambers—Cover glass shall be plane within 0.002 mm on both sides and shall pass the planeness test as
described in 16.2.
5. Corrosion Resistance
5.1 While no corrosion tests for cover glasses are hereby required, when desired for critical use, use the test in 14.2.
GLASS SLIDES
6. Dimensions
6.1 General Use:
6.1.1 Size—75.5 by 25.5 6 0.8 mm.
6.1.2 Thickness A—1.0 6 0.15 mm.
Thickness B—1.2 6 0.15 mm.
6.2 Darkfield and Interference Microscopy:
6.2.1 Size—75.5 by 25.5 6 0.8 mm.
6.2.2 Thickness C—1.20 6 0.005 mm.
Thickness D—0.90 6 0.075 mm.
Thickness E—1.50 6 0.05 mm.
6.3 Embryology—37.5 6 0.8 or 50.5 6 0.8 by 75.5 6 0.8 mm.
6.3.1 Thickness—Same as either thickness A or thickness B in 6.1 on general-use glass slides.
6.4 Petrography:
6.4.1 Size—25.5 by 45.5, 27 by 46, or 28 by 48 6 0.8 mm.
6.4.2 Thickness—Same as thickness A or B under general-use slides.
7. Planeness and Parallelism
7.1 General Use—No requirements.
7.2 Darkfield, Interference, Embryology, Petrography—No requirements.
8. Corrosion Resistance
8.1 General Use and Darkfield and Interference Microscopy—The slides shall not be adversely affected by boilingn
...