ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a theory and reviews experimental data describing the optical properties of the class of materials known as anisotropic carbons. It describes the techniques used in reflection microscopy and presents a phenomenological theory of optical reflectivity. The chapter discusses and reviews the mechanism of formation of anisotropic carbon. The literature describing liquid crystals is totally devoted to systems composed of rodlike molecules. Studies of the molecular species present during the short fluid phase of pyrolysis show that molecular weights of the molecules vary with values between about 500 and 1000 amu. In pyrolyzing systems the onset of formation of liquid crystals can be seen in optical microscopy by the formation of small, optically anisotropic units. It is important to note that graphite is a complicated material on which to study optical properties. In studies of polished surfaces of anisotropic carbon, importance is attached to the technique of using crossed polars in the reflectance microscope.
