Single-walled carbon nanotubes and nanocrystalline graphene reduce   beam-induced movements in high-resolution electron cryo-microscopy of   ice-embedded biological samples
  For single particle electron cryo-microscopy (cryoEM), contrast loss due to beam-induced charging and specimen movement is a serious problem, as the thin films of vitreous ice spanning the holes of a holey carbon film are particularly susceptible to beam-induced movement. We demonstrate that the problem is at least partially solved by carbon nanotechnology. Doping ice-embedded samples with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) in aqueous suspension or adding nanocrystalline graphene supports, obtained by thermal conversion of cross-linked self-assembled biphenyl precursors, significantly reduces contrast loss in high-resolution cryoEM due to the excellent electrical and mechanical properties of SWNTs and graphene. 
Daniel Rhinow, Nils-Eike Weber, Andrey Turchanin, Armin   G\"olzh\"auser, Werner K\"uhlbrandt
physics.bio-ph cond-mat.soft