Electron Microscopical Replica Techniques for the Study of Organic Surfaces

Abstract

The problem of examining opaque surfaces in the electron microscope is discussed and it is shown that none of the methods heretofore described is completely satisfactory for the examination of organic surfaces. Two new methods, a low pressure polystyrene-silica technique and a silver-silica double evaporation method, are described and it is demonstrated that they allow observation of organic as well as metallurgical surfaces. Electron micrographs of fiber surfaces, biological material, paint films, ores, and metals are included to illustrate the utility of these techniques.