Sylgard Dishes

• All of the Sylgard supplies are located under the bench with the scales and salts.

• Finished Sylgard plates can be found above the dissection bench microscopes.

• If we are running even a little low on regular Sylgard plates more need to be made as they take a week to cure.

Main Recipe

For about 10 regular-sized Sylgard dishes (can be multiplied/reduced): 

• • 200g Sylgard 184

  • 20g Elastomer 184

Procedure:

1. Grab a diaper pad (green) from the cabinet under the sink (cabinet 12) and spread it white side up over the counter. 

2. Acquire a stack of clean Petri dishes and a disposable mixing cup and the sylgard designated large spatula (with the sylgard supplies). 

3. Place the mixing cup on the scale and zero it.  

4. Pour in the sylgard base.

5. Zero it and then pour in the elastomer.

6. Mix thoroughly with the large spatula. 

7. Uncap dishes and place them side by side. 

8. Pour sylgard mixture into dishes until they are about a third to half full (where the lid touches the Petri dish when capped is a good indicator). (Smaller dishes have slightly different specifications - ask whoever is using them what height they prefer.)

   • • IMPORTANT: Make sure there isn't too little or too much sylgard in the dishes otherwise people won't be able to pin nervous systems or profuse saline over them, respectively.

9. Forcefully tap each dish on the counter until there are no large bubbles left. 

10. Cap and stack the plates on the bench area outlined with tape, making sure they are level with the small bubble level. 

    • • IMPORTANT: Make sure that the dishes cure level! Otherwise, when saline is profused one part of the dish will dry out faster than the others!

11. Label stacks with a sticky note–include initials and date made. 

12. Allow them to cure for at least a week. 

***The above directions assume a 10:1 base: elastomer ratio, as specified in the manufacturer's directions for Sylgard 184. A 9:1 ratio can also be used if you desire a softer (and possibly less hydrophobic?) Sylgard.***

Black Sylgard Recipe

For about 3 regular-sized Sylgard dishes:

• • 40g Sylgard 170

  • 40g Elastomer 170

1. Same procedure as above, except different amounts of Sylgard and elastomer are combined.

***The above directions assume a 1:1 base: elastomer ratio, as specified in the manufacturer's directions for Sylgard 170.***

• This recipe can be multiplied or reduced depending on the need. Black Sylgard has also been used to make custom dissection dishes and Sygard plates for electrophysiology experiments.