METALLOGROPHY

Metallography or microscopy consists of microscopic study of the structural characteristics of metal

or an alloy."
HISTORY
In 1860 Henery-Clifton or!y de"eloped a techni#ue for the systematic e$amination of metals or
alloys under the microscope and can therefore lay claim to !e the founder of that !ranch of the
metallurgy %no&n as microscopical metallography.
SCOPE
'he primary o!(ect of metallographic e$amination is to !e re"ealing the constituent and structure of
metals and alloys !y means of the metallurgical microscope.
Important uses of metallographic specimen)
1. Many metallographic specimens are used for process control.
2. *$amination of defects that appears in finished or partly finished products.
3. tudy of parts that ha"e failed in ser"ice.
4. Chec% the inclusion le"el.
5. 'o chec% the si+e, shape and distri!ution of "arious phases.

PREPRATION OF SPECIMEN FOR
METALLOGRAPHY
'he success in metallographic study depends largely upon the care ta%en during the preparation of
specimen.
- &ell-prepared metallographic specimen is)
1. - representati"e sample
2. ectioned, ground and polished so as to minimi+e distur!ed or flo&ed surface metal caused !y
mechanical deformation, and thus to allo& the true microstructure to !e re"ealed !y etching.
3. .ree from polishing scratches, pits and li#uid staining.
4. /olished so that inclusions are preser"ed intact.
5. .lat enough to permit e$amination at high magnification.
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/reparation of metallography specimen generally re#uired fi"e ma(or operations)
1. ampling
2. Mounting 12ptional3
3. 4rinding
4. /olishing
5. *tching
SAMPLING
'he choice of a sample for microscopic study may !e "ery important. If a failure is to !e in"estigated,
the sample should !e chosen as close as possi!le to the area of failure and should !e compared &ith
one ta%en from the normal section.
'he specimen should !e %ept cool during cutting operation. .or this purpose &e use &ater-solu!le oil
coolant.
ABRASIE !HEEL C"TTING:
'he most &idely used sectioning de"ices in metallographic la!oratories are a!rasi"e cutoff machines.
'he range from small, thin sectioning machines employing a!rasi"e or diamond rimmed &heels of
different si+es.
-ll a!rasi"e-&heel sectioning should !e done &et. - flo& of &ater or &ater-solu!le oil coolant should
!e directed onto the cut.
5et cutting &ill produce a smooth surface finish and most important, &ill guard against e$cessi"e
surface damage caused !y o"erheating.
MO"NTING
'he primary purpose of mounting metallographic specimen is handling a&%&ardly shaped specimen
during the su!se#uent steps of metallographic preparation and e$amination.
- secondary is to protect and preser"e e$treme edges or surface defects during metallographic
preparation.
pecimens also may re#uire mounting to accommodate "arious types of automatic de"ices used in
metallographic la!oratories.
5ires, small rods, sheet metal and thin section must !e mounted.
.or mounting purpose &e use different types of po&der such as)
1. 6a%elite po&der 1-"aila!le in diff. Colors3
2. 7ucite po&der 1Completely transparent3
3. Conducti"e mounting po&der 16lac%3 etc.
'he si+e of the mount are 189in diameter, the thic%ness should !e sufficient to ena!le the operator to
hold the mount and in the magnification range.
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GRIN#ING
4rinding is the most important operation in metallographic specimen preparation. 'he soft and hard
specimen may !e ground on an a!rasi"e paper, &ith the specimen %ept cool !y fre#uent dropping in
&ater during the grinding operation.
In all grinding and polishing operations the specimen should !e mo"ed perpendicular to e$isting
scratches.
Intermediate and fine grinding is then carried out on a!rasi"e paper of progressi"ely finer grade i.e.
190, 990, :00, 600, 800 and 1000 grit si+e a!rasi"e papers.
It is necessary that the specimen !e &ashed in running &ater !efore ne$t grinding paper and
particularly !efore final polishing stage.
GRIN#ING ME#I"MS:
'he grinding a!rasi"es commonly used in the preparation of metallographic specimens are)
1. ilicon Car!ide 1iC3
2. -luminum o$ide 1-l92;3
3. *mery 1-l92;-.e;2:3
4. <iamond particles
POLISHING
pecimen is polished on rotating cloth pad &ith suita!le polishing medium. 'he cloth is particularly
&etted &ith distilled &ater and a small #uantity of polishing medium.
In all grinding and polishing operations the specimen should !e mo"ed perpendicular to e$isting
scratches.
'he most popular polishing mediums are)
1. <iamond paste
2. Chromium o$ide
3. Magnesium o$ide
4. -luminum o$ide paste
'he aluminum particles si+es are =, 1, 0.0; and 0.0= micron.
'he most important factors affecting a successful finish are)
1. Care most !e ta%en to a"oid o"erheating. In steel this may ha"e a tempering effect.
2. If a specimen is polished for to long on the pad its surface may !ecome rippled.
3. -pply a light pressure at all grinding or polishing operation.
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ETCHING
*tching is to ma%e "isi!le the many structural characteristic of metals or alloy that are not e"ident as
polished condition. *$amination of polish specimen may re"eal such as porosity, crac%s and non-
metallic inclusions.
'he principle of etching multi-phase alloys is !ased on the preferential attac% or preferential staining
of one or more phases, !ecause of different in chemical composition and different in orientation.
'he time re#uired for etching is "aries &ith different alloys and etching reagent.
-fter !eing etched the specimen is &ashed in running &ater > alcohol and than dried.

Pr$per e%&'()* (+ a+ (,p$r%a)% a+ %'e pre&ed()* +%ep+ $- +a,p.()*/ ,$0)%()*/ *r()d()* a)d
p$.(+'()*.
.or most applications, the follo&ing rules for etching should !e o!ser"ed)
1. *tch for a time (ust sufficient to !ring out significant micro structural detail.
2. *$cessi"e etching &ill e$aggerate or o!literate fine structural detail.
3. If additional contrast is desired, so for photomicrographs, it should !e o!tained !y
photographic techni#ue rather than !y o"er etching.
4. ?e-etching &ithout repolishing often produces poor results.
5. -fter etching, the specimen surface should not !e touched &ith anything.
1. It should !e e$amined or photographed immediately, !efore o$idation or other
contamination
of the surface can occur.
Sa-e%y Pre&a0%($)
1. 5hen pouring, mi$ing or etching al&ays a&are proper protecti"e e#uipments 1glasses, glo"es,
apron etc.3
2. @se proper de"ices 1glass or plastic3 for mi$ing, containing and storage of solution.
3. 5hen mi$ing etchants, al&ays add reagents sol"ents unless specific instructions other&ise.
4. 5hen etching al&ays a"oid direct physical contact &ith etchant. @se the de"ice to hold the
specimen.
5. It is good practice to &or% on properly designed chemical fume hood.
1. <ispose of any and all solutions that are not properly identified !y composition and
concentration.
2. tore, handle and dispose of chemicals according to the manufacturer recommendation.
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MICROSCOPY
'he term microscopeA is deri"ed from the 4ree% &ords micron 1small3 and s%opein 1to see3. 'he
microscope is thus an instrument that can see small things.
-ll thought the microscope has !een used o"er ;00years. In 1B
th
century the microscope &as first
used for o!ser"ing metals.
pecimen must first !e mounted so that its surface is normal to the a$is of the instrument.
'he specimen is !rought into focus !y using first the coarse ad(ustment and then the fine ad(ustment.
'he magnification ranges of regular optical microscope are =0C to 1000C.
SAFETY PRECA"TIONS

'he safety precaution a"ails during microscopy are as under)
1. -fter etching the specimen is not direct to the microscope !ecause the fumes of acids damage
the lenses.
2. Mount the specimen on slide !efore microscopy.
3. -l&ays first e$amine the specimen at lo& magnification.
4. 'he lamp is off after e$amination of the specimen.
5. 'he microscope and lenses are protecting to dust.
Re-ere)&e+:
-M Metal Hand 6oo% Dol. 0B)900:
Metallography /rinciples and /ractice
-'M ?elated tandards
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