Abstract
This chapter presents electron microscopy with a focus on transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and its application to polymer systems. After an introduction, some background about the method is given before different techniques are presented in detail. These include the investigations of solid bulk systems and liquid phases together with the specific procedures of sample preparation, as well as 3-dimensional tomography for the study of complex morphologies and analytical electron microscopy to visualize the spatial distribution of different chemical elements. Examples are given for all techniques with an emphasis on block copolymers or block copolymer-containing systems, as this class of polymers exhibits structural features that are very well suited for studies by transmission electron microscopy.
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