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Material Lab 14

This lab report details the process of preparing and examining a steel specimen under a metallurgical microscope to study its microscopic structure. The processes involved cutting the specimen, mounting it, grinding and polishing the surface, etching it, and then examining it under the microscope at different magnifications. The goal is to understand the microstructure of metals and how microscopy can be used to observe phases, grains, and defects in the specimen.

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36 views3 pages

Material Lab 14

This lab report details the process of preparing and examining a steel specimen under a metallurgical microscope to study its microscopic structure. The processes involved cutting the specimen, mounting it, grinding and polishing the surface, etching it, and then examining it under the microscope at different magnifications. The goal is to understand the microstructure of metals and how microscopy can be used to observe phases, grains, and defects in the specimen.

Uploaded by

21pwind0685
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Lab report number 14

TOO STUDY THE MICROSCOPIC STRUCTURE OF STEEL SPECIMEN


USING METALLURGICAL MICROSCOPE.

OBJECTIVE:
a) To Learn the preparation of specimen for microscopic observation.

b) To understand what Microscopy is, and how it can be used to observe Microstructure of metals,

APPARATUS:
 METALLURGICAL MICROSCPOE
 STEEL SPECIMEN

PROCESSES INVOLVED:
 Cutting
 Mounting
 Grinding
 Polishing
 Etching

INTRODUCTION:
METALOGRAPHY:
Metallography is the study of metals by optical and electron microscopes. Structures, which are
coarse enough to be discernible by the naked eye or under low magnifications, are termed
macrostructures. Useful information can often be gained by examination with the naked eye of the
surface of metal objects or polished and etched sections. Those, which require high magnification to
be visible, are termed microstructures. Microscopes are required for the examination of the
microstructure of the metals. Optical microscopes are used for resolutions down to roughly the
wavelength of light (about half a micron) and electron microscopes are used for detail below this
level, down to atomic resolution. The most commonly used microscope is the conventional light
microscope. In principle, optical microscopes may be used to look through specimens ('in
transmission') as well as at them ('in reflection'). Many materials, however, do not transmit light and
so we are restricted to looking at the surface of the specimens with an optical microscope. Electron
microscope can be used in the transmission e.g. Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and to look
at the surfaces e.g. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) Microscopy can give information concerning
a material's composition, previous treatment and properties.
Lab report number 14

PROCEDURE:
The preparation of metallic or other materials for microscopic examination and micro structural
characterization is in principal very simple. There are four basic processes that you will need to
become familiar with: sample cutting and sectioning, metallographic mounting, Surface grinding and
surface polishing.

SECTIONING AND CUTTING:


Sectioning means removal of convenient size specimen from large sample with minimal damage to
microstructure with the help of abrasive cut off machine. Abrasive cutting wheel/saw is attached to
cutting machine and for work piece holding proper vice is provided on machine. The primary concern
in this process is to minimize the heating of the sample due to the cutting. For this reason, the cut-
off saws that is equipped with either water-cooling systems.

MOUTING:
If sample is large enough (about 25 mm square or larger) than do not need to mount it, as it will be
able to control the sample during polishing without a mount. For smaller samples there are two
basic mounting techniques used in this laboratory. Mounting facilitates handling during preparation
and handling. It also avoids damage to polishing wheels during polishing. The most common uses a
thermosetting plastic compound (Bakelite) to encapsulate the specimen known as hot-mounting
process, and the second uses a room temperature curing epoxy known as coldmounting process.
The Bakelite mounting is by far the most common and easiest. The room temperature curing epoxy
mount should only be used for samples that are extremely sensitive to heat. The Bakelite process
uses a sample mounting press that applies a pressure to the Bakelite/sample system during the cure
to remove voids and gaps and to fully fill the sample spaces. Bakelite comes in a variety of colors,
which can be combined to produce easy sample identification.

SURFACE POLISHING:
The goal of the surface polishing is to end up with a planar cross section of sample free from
scratches or disturbed metal introduced by the cutting and sectioning. This process is a step-wise
process that can be broken into three loosely separate parts: grinding, coarse polishing, and final
polishing.

GRINDING:
The first step in preparing your sample is to ensure that you have a flat surface to begin with. A
water-cooled abrasive grinder is available to form a flat initial surface from which to begin. After
getting a flat sample on the belt grinder, WASH sample thoroughly. The hand lapping station has
four graded abrasive papers to produce a sequentially finer surface finish. Be sure the water is
turned on and flowing uniformly over the abrasives. Start with the coarsest grit (240) and, using a
firm and 5 uniform pressure, slowly move the specimen forward and back across the abrasive. This
will produce parallel scratches of uniform size. Continue this step until the entire surface of your
sample is flat and contains only scratches of the size of 240 grit abrasive. When the sample is flat and
the only scratches remaining are those due to the 240 grit abrasive, WASH your sample and your
hands thoroughly, and move to the 320 grit abrasive. Repeat this procedure for the 400 grit and the
600 grit abrasive, checking after each step to be sure that only those scratches remain that are due
to the smallest grit.
Lab report number 14

ETCHING:
Grains cannot be seen without etching. Cracks, pores and defects are observed without etching.
Etchant reacts with atoms and dissolves them. Atoms at grain boundaries dissolve quickly. Dissolved
grain boundaries appear dark.

Steps:
1) Apply enchant to polished surface for some time.

2) Rinse with distilled water.

METALLURGIC OBSERVATIONS:
Observe microstructure. Place specimen on metallograph and adjust magnification, focus and
position s adjust micro High magnification - to study phases and Low magnification -to study grain
size.

CLASSIFICATIONS OF STEEL:
: The steels are classified by various methods and each method is based on a definite criteria as
follows,

i) Amount of carbon

 Low carbon steels (0.008 - 0.3%C)


 Medium carbon steels (0.30 - 0.60%C)
 High carbon steels ( 0.60 - 2.00%C)

ii) Amount of alloying elements and carbon

iii) Amount of deoxidation

iv) Method of manufacture

v) Form and use.

CONCLUSION:
In this lab we learn about metallurgic structure of steel.

COMMENTS:
In this lab we learn so many things from our respected teacher.

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