ABSTRACT
Characterization of the polymer involved measurements of intrinsic viscosities to give a measure of molecular weight. This chapter deals with general areas of interest in which different studies by different workers often with quite different objectives have helped to develop an overall understanding of a polymer system. It considers some particular examples in which many different techniques were used in a single coordinated study. Some polymers, such as polystyrene, develop a conjugated polyene structure as a consequence of weathering, and can be detected using ultraviolet spectroscopy. Much of the understanding of polymer crystals came from studies of solution grown single crystals, with the transmission electron microscope (TEM) as the principal tool for characterization. Injection moulded polymers contain a skin-core morphology. TEM of stained solution-cast samples and studies of etched and stained samples by both scanning electron microscope and TEM have provided convincing verification of the proposed model for spherulite structure.
