Bx51 polarized optical microscope

All samples were analyzed by an Olympus BX51 polarized optical microscope coupled to a Linkam hot-stage that uses nitrogen to control the temperature and manages the cooling rate. An Olympus SC50 camera linked to the microscope was employed to observe the samples and take micrographs. Samples were dissolved in acetone or cyclohexane, and drops of the solutions were placed on a glass substrate and dried at room temperature.

The equipment employed to analyze the samples was an Olympus BX51 polarized optical microscope with a Linkam hot-stage coupled to control the temperature and the heating and cooling rates. To control the thermal process, liquid nitrogen was employed in the Linkam hot-stage. The micrographs were taken by an Olympus SC50 camera linked to the microscope. The samples were previously dissolved in DMF, and the solutions with a concentration of around 4% were drop-casted on a glass substrate and dried at room temperature before the measurements. The growth rate of the spherulites observed was calculated from the slope of the spherulite radius versus time plots, which were always found to be linear.