Electron Microscopic Observation of Monolayers of Synthetic Linear Polymer

Abstract

WHEN monolayers of some synthetic linear polymers at air/water interfaces are compressed to less than a certain area, bright streaks can be observed under dark-field illumination¹. Subsequent compression gives rise to tiny visible striations running across the width of the trough and finally produces fibrous threads which can be picked up from the water surface. Since little is known about the structure of these heterogeneities, we have carried out an electron microscopic examination of spread films of synthetic polymers, and obtained, especially in the case of nylon, interesting pictures exhibiting the structure of the spread films.