Since 1972 the author and colleagues at Ford Motor Company have been p
ublishing results of materials analyses which were obtained using ambi
ent temperature or cryomicrotomy as one of the sample preparation tech
niques. Generally two types of sectioning, thin and ultrathin, were pu
rsued for light-optical and electron-optical microscopy, respectively.
These papers include the study of the following materials, which have
been separated into nine classes: polymer composites, polymer blends,
reverse osmosis membranes, carbon fibers, elastomers, automotive exha
ust catalysts, aluminum surface coatings, aluminum alloy automotive wh
eels, and rapidly solidified aluminum alloys. This review is not inten
ded to reiterate the conclusions of these prior publications but will
provide the reader with an insight into the many ways microtomy can be
used for materials studies.