Use of laser scanning confocal microscopy for characterizing changes in film thickness and local surface morphology of UV-exposed polymer coatings.

Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) has been used to characterize the changes in film thickness and local surface morphology of polymer coatings during the UV degradation proces With the noninvasive feature of LSCM single can obtain thickness information directly and nondestructively at various exposing times without destroying the specimens or deriving the thickness values from IR measurement by dint of assuming uniform film ablation. sum of two units acrylic polymer coatings were chosen for the research and the physical and chemical changes of the sum of two units systems at various exposure times were measured and analyzed. Those measurable physical changes caused through UV exposure include film ablation,