Electron Microscopy of Polymers

Prof. Dr. habil. Goerg H. Michler worked for many years as a physicist and materials scientist in research institutes, in the chemical industry and at universities. He is professor of general materials science at the Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg and founded an Institute of Polymeric Materials. His research interests focus on the structure-property correlations of polymeric materials, the improvement of mechanical properties based on nanostructure and morphology.

Techniques of Electron Microscopy.- Overview of Techniques.- Transmission Electron Microscopy: Fundamentals of Methods and Instrumentation.- Transmission Electron Microscopy: Conventional and Special Investigations of Polymers.- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).- Atomic Force Microscopy.- In Situ Microscopy.- Image Processing and Image Analysis.- Preparation Techniques.- Problems Associated with the Electron Microscopy of Polymers.- Preparation of Surfaces.- Preparation of Thin Sections: (Cryo)ultramicrotomy and (Cryo)microtomy.- Special Preparation Techniques.- Preparation for (In Situ) Deformation Tests.- Contrast Enhancement.- Main Groups of Polymers.- Structural Hierarchy of Polymers.- Amorphous Polymers.- Semicrystalline Polymers.- Polymer Blends.- High-Impact Rubber-Modified Polymers.- Block Copolymers.- Rubbers and Elastomers.- Polymer Composites.- Polymer Nanocomposites.- Biomaterials.- Special Processing Forms.