Xylene-stream method for obtaining thin polyethylene specimens for electron microscopy

A new technique is described for obtaining thin specimens from melt-crystallized polyethylene surface for studying the lamellar structure with the electron microscope. The specimen was first backed with carbon–gelatin backing and then the polyethylene side was exposed to a temperature-controlled xylene stream. After dissolving most of the specimen, a very thin layer of polyethylene which shows certain aspects of the original lamellar structure was obtained. Stereoscopic micrographs revealed the structure of polyethylene consisting of curved layers, concave, convex and other forms. These curved layers were identified by analysis of the Bragg fringes to be the crystalline lamellae. A special pattern resembling a spider in shape caused by a spherical crystal was investigated.