The distribution of poly(acrylic acid) in a microporous polypropylene support membrane has been measured
quantitatively by scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM). Singular value decomposition analysis
of X-ray microscopy images recorded at carefully selected photon energies was used to obtain quantitative
maps of the polypropylene membrane and the poly(acrylic acid) gel, the two components of this system. The
sample was studied fully hydrated in order to perform the quantitative mapping when the membrane is the
same as in its state of application. Optimum strategies of data acquisition for quantitative X-ray microscopy
analysis of radiation sensitive materials are discussed, along with a brief comparison of this technique to
alternative methods of mapping the chemical components of structured multicomponent polymeric systems.
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