Polymer Morphological Characterization Techniques: Introduction

This lecture introduces the course on polymer morphological characterization techniques, focusing on the increasing overlap between organic materials science and biosciences. It covers the specific morphological and physical characteristics of soft matter, the role of optical microscopy, and the use of various microscopy techniques in polymer research. The lecture discusses the importance of specimen preparation and observation techniques, including electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. It also explores the structure of synthetic polymers and biopolymers, emphasizing the role of specific interactions such as hydrogen bonding. Examples like microfabricated structures and collagen's triple helix structure are used to illustrate key concepts.