Micro-thermal analysis of polymers: Current capabilities and future prospects

The current state of development of micro-thermal analysis (microTA) and re lated techniques are briefly reviewed. Results for a PET/epoxy resin compos ite and a bilayer polymer film are given as illustrations. Details are give n of a new interface that enables the micro-TA unit to be placed inside a c onventional FTIR spectrometer to carry out photothermal IR microscopy. New results are presented for a micro-pyrolysis-mass spectroscopy technique. Th e limitations of the current instrumentation are discussed in terms of the overriding problem being one of spatial resolution. Images obtained using p ulsed force mode,AFM with a high-resolution heated tip indicate the scope f or future development of this technique. The possibility of even higher spa tial resolution with other forms of probe are discussed along with the pote ntial for imaging micro-pyrolysis rime of flight mass spectroscopy and even tomography. It is concluded that these methods offer excellent prospects f or characterising a wide range of polymer systems.