TEM-micrograph of a styrene-butadiene-styrene blockcopolymer

Applications

Leica EM UC6

The Leica EM UC6 ultramicrotome was used at room temperature to prepare the polymer samples for Transmission Electron Microscopy according the following procedure: The samples were trimmed with the Leica Ultracut UC6 at room temperature using a DIATOME diamond trimming knife, stained overnight with OsO4 vapour and ultra-thin sectioned with a Leica EM UC6 ultramicrotome usind a DIATOME 35 degrees diamond knife. The section thickness was 70 nm (setting). The ultra-thin sections were placed on a 300 mesh carbon coated copper grid and studied with a Philips CM12 transmission electron microscope operating at 120 kV. TEM-micrographs were made of representative areas of the samples at different magnifications. The TEM-micrographs were made using a Fuji FDL5000 digital luminograph and printed on a Fuji Pictrography 3000 digital printer The polybutadiene (rubber) phase of the SBS blockcopolymer is stained with OsO4 vapour and appears as the dark phase in the TEM-micrograph. The matrix of the material shows an alternating morphology of dark polybutadiene blocks and bright polystyrene blocks. The cellular (salami-type) rubber particle in the center in coming from added high impact polystyrene (HIPS) Image provided by: Bob Vastenhout The Dow Chemical Company, The Netherlands