The extent of tire cord adhesion and other rubber-to-metal bonds can be looked at in the SEM using image and elemental analysis. Techniques such as freeze fracturing and polishing of sample cross-sections can be employed to get a close look at the interfaces in question. Multi-elemental X-ray dot mapping and line scan techniques can then be used to measure layer thickness and identify elements present that are specific to primers and adhesives.

* EDX is Energy Dispersive X Ray, LOM is Light Optical Microscopy, OC is Optical Comparator, SEM is Scanning Electron Microscopy, TEM is Transmission Electron Microscopy