Acoustic microscopy of polymer materials

Abstract

Reflection acoustic microscopy has been used to study polymer materials. Acoustic micrographs of polypropylene spherulites show branching and irregular growth of radial fibrils and a more three-dimensional interpenetrant nature of the impinging spherulites than does light microscopy. Acoustic micrographs of drawn polypropylene spherulites reveal inhomogeneous destruction of the original spherulites and light and dark contour bands, much like Newton’s rings, that are useful for monitoring thickness uniformity and internal structure of polymer film fabrication.