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The size analysis of polymer latices by electron microscopy using freeze‐etched preparations
Author(s) -
Reed R.,
Barlow J. R.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.1971.070150706
Subject(s) - materials science , electron microscope , polymer , copolymer , composite material , acrylate , transmission electron microscopy , scanning electron microscope , optical microscope , etching (microfabrication) , nanotechnology , optics , physics , layer (electronics)
A range of styrene–butyl acrylate copolymer latices has been studied in the electron microscope, using the freeze‐etching method of specimen preparation. This involves the rapid freezing of a small specimen, fracture of the frozen block, followed by replication of the fracture surface. The process of freezing rapidly to liquid air temperatures minimizes deformation of “soft” latex particles and allows their size to be determined. Certain latices were also investigated using a conventional method of specimen preparation, involving size measurements on dried, deformed particles. The particles observed in freeze‐etched preparations appeared to have slightly smaller diameters.