[Simonas]

Hello everyone,
i am looking for information on relatively simple ways to make a glass surface (microscope slide) hydrophilic, so a water film on this glass sample can be made as thin as possible (100 - 500 um). It does not have to be permanent, in fact, it would be favourable if the sample can be completely cleaned afterwards. So perhaps someone can recommend some easily obtainable chemicals (if there are any) that would perform such a task by covering the sample with them. Complicated coating techniques are not favourable in such a practice.
Much thanks.

[billnotgatez]

Maybe a thin layer of surfactant

maybe you can just use a dam that will contain the water that is applied in a thin layer
(sort of like the original meaning of tinker's dam)

I am trying to bring back in my mind various methods of handling glass slides, but nothing comes to mind right now

maybe GOOGLE could help as well

[Simonas]

Maybe a thin layer of surfactant

maybe you can just use a dam that will contain the water that is applied in a thin layer
(sort of like the original meaning of tinker's dam)

I am trying to bring back in my mind various methods of handling glass slides, but nothing comes to mind right now

maybe GOOGLE could help as well

Using a dam is not an option, because due to surface tensions effects of water, the thickness of such a water layer (i need it evenly spread through out the majority of the slides surface) might equal close to 2 mm.
Rubing some sort of surfactant on the surface might due the trick, but i need it to be as viscous as possible, perhaps you could help out by pointing out some. Because if i use eg. soap, it sort of does the trick, but the soap is too easily washed away by the water.
Trust me i tried googling, but such a practice is somewhat not used by anyone. Only complicated long term techniques can be obtained for increased surface wetting.

[Arkcon]

Trust me i tried googling, but such a practice is somewhat not used by anyone. Only complicated long term techniques can be obtained for increased surface wetting.

Yeah, I do feel your pain in this regard.  Because, when I think of glass surfaces, I think of temporary methods of making the glass more hydrophobic.  For simple applications, carefully cleaned glass is hydrophillic enough.  You might start by simply cleaning the glass surface as best you can.  That is, soak in a series of strong acids, ending in HCl which you can evaporate away, leaving nothing.  Or hydrogen peroxide/ammonia, again you evaporate away leaving nothing, only the alkali should remove not only surface grease contaminants, but also leave free silanols.  And again, evaporate away to no residue.  Then again, trying to be scrupulously clean opens up a whole can of worms -- how clean is your distilled water, how dust free is your hood, trace contaminants in reagents, and the like.