Application of Replica Techniques to the Study of Ceramic Surfaces With the Optical Microscope*

A bstract A method of preparing transparent replicas of ceramic surfaces for study with the optical microscope is described. Photomicrographs and projection prints of surface details which are difficult to analyze microscopically by direct methods of observation are presented. The surface‐replica material used will penetrate openings as small as the limit of resolving power of the ordinary light microscope and can be studied effectively by (1) direct observation by transmitted light in a microscope having the simplest available optical system, (2) used as a transparency and projected on a screen, and (3) placed in a photographic enlarger and used as a negative to produce direct projection photographic prints. The method is particularly useful when duplicate samples of the same specimen are required, when the specimen cannot be destroyed by grinding or cutting, or when reflected light from a surface destroys contrast in detail.