1 st year

Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Abstract
This report includes details of the experiments done on three particular samples A and B, to
discuss their views on the micro-structural, crystal structures, impact toughness and hardness,
and verification, and finally the name of a sample of the properties of the concept.
The given sample A is a hot-rolled element whereas B is a cold-drawn element.
First, the model set A and B were examined under the microscope after a few steps of the
procedure and the basic structures and the availability of the different phases were clearly
discussed. This was able to give specific properties of the specimen, which are both of them are
mild steels with less carbon percentage.
Then sample A and B were subjected to Rockwell hardness test and the obtained values were
prepared a graph. From this sample variation of hot rolling, cold drawing the specimen and
temperate zones were clearly discussed. Furthermore, this particular experiment gave experience
to operate the Rockwell hardness tester in all situations.
Finally the samples were tested for resistance to different temperature impact and range is clearly
understood. It also obtained equipment use and understanding of the fragility and ductility.
After the end of the three experiments, we obtained the final results, discussed in detail and
through the website, www.matweb.com the final name of the sample were found out AISI
standard.
The introduction of the three experiments, as well as the stage, the methodology used in each
experiment, discussion of results, observations, calculations and conclusions were included in
this report.
In one line, this report includes the skills and commonalities throughout the module engineering
materials.

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Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Introduction
The main objective of this lab sessions were to give a basic idea on the type metal available and
understand the mechanical properties. During this lab sessions we got a basic idea on some of the
test procedures used in the industry to determine the properties of materials.

Sample A

Sample B

Sample A:
- Hot rolled (having wavy surface is an indication for such work on a metal)
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EN 13

1 st year

Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Tensile strength is around 430 MPa (thus, this material is commercially called as 430
steel)
Mild steel (theoretical carbon wt % range is 0.15-0.3)

Sample B:
- Cold drawn (and it is called bright steel due its finishing)
- Tensile strength is around 470 MPa
- Mild steel (theoretical carbon wt % range is 0.15-0.3). Composition is same as the sample
A. The only difference is with the work done on the materials.
After some lab test we could determinate the AISI value for the sample A & B. the lab test that
we need to preform are
1. Metallographic Study
a. Metallographic study, or metallography, is the imaging of topographical or
microstructural features on prepared surfaces of materials. This helps to
understand the structure o the materials
2. Rockwell Hardness Test
a. The Rockwell test determines the hardness by measuring the depth of penetration
of an indenter under a large load compared to the penetration made by a preload

3. Charpy Impact Test

a. Charpy impact testing determines the impact energy of materials.

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1 st year

Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

AISI Standards are simply American Iron and Steel Institute that has established standards
for steel compositions. The two specimens A and B were given by the supplier to familiarize
ourselves in order to find out the AISI standards of unknown samples. In AISI standard the last
two digits are the carbon content generally and the first two digits are the
series designation such as stainless steel, high carbon, low carbon, high
alloy, etc. These standards are usually specified in order for the
convenience of using materials worldwide.

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EN 13

1 st year

Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Background Information
Metallographic study
Metallographic study, or metallography, is the imaging of topographical or microstructural
features on prepared surfaces of materials. The structures studied by metallography are indicative
of the properties and performance of materials studied.
In this technique, planar surfaces are prepared to obtain a polished finish. Chemical or other
etching methods are often used to delineate macrostructure and microstructure features. Once
prepared, samples are examined by the unaided eye, light microscopy, and/or electron
microscopy. (See sections on Light Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy.)
Samples for microstructure evaluation are typically encapsulated in a plastic mount for handling
during sample preparation. Large samples or samples for macrostructure evaluation can be
prepared without mounting. Sample preparation consists of grinding and then polishing using
successively finer abrasives to obtain the desired surface finish. For microstructure examination,
a mirror finish is needed, but a finely-ground finish is adequate for macrostructure evaluation.
Etchants are specially formulated for the specific sample material and evaluation objectives.
Sampling for metallography can be a random section to evaluate representative bulk properties
or a section in a specific location to characterize localized material conditions.

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1 st year

Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Metallographic study can give information concerning a material composition, structure, phase
distribution, mechanical and physical properties, thermo-mechanical process history, grain size, phase
volume fractions, and linear dimensions. Particular features of interest are:

Grain size
Phases present
Chemical homogeneity
Distribution of phases
Elongated structures formed by plastic deformation

Grain Size Determination

Grain size can be determined using an intercept method described below:
Straight lines all of the same length are drawn through several photomicrographs that show the
grain structure. The grains intersected by each line segment are counted; the line length is then
divided by an average of the number of grains intersected, taken over all the line segments. The
average grain diameter is found by dividing this result by the linear magnification of the
micrographs. Typical magnifications used are between 50x and 1000x.

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Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Typical applications

Metal alloy heat treatment verification

Coating thickness measurement
Weld or braze joint evaluation
Case hardening depth determination
Corrosion resistance evaluation
Failure analysis
Microscopic defects in IC devices
In situ evaluation of thermo-mechanical degradation

Rockwell Hardness Test

The Rockwell tests constitute the most common method used to measure
hardness because they are so simple to perform and require no special
skills. Several different scales may be utilized from possible
combinations of various indenters and different loads, which permit the
testing of virtually all metal alloys (as well as some polymers). Indenters
include spherical and hardened steel balls having diameters of and in. (1.588,
3.175, 6.350, and 12.70 mm), and a conical diamond (Brale) indenter, which
used for the hardest materials.

is

With this system, a hardness number is determined by the difference in

depth of penetration resulting from the application of an initial minor
load
followed by a larger major load; utilization of a minor load enhances
test
accuracy. On the basis of the magnitude of both major and minor loads,
there are
two types of tests: Rockwell and superficial Rockwell. For Rockwell, the minor load is 10 kg,
whereas major loads are 60, 100, and 150 kg. Each scale is represented by a letter of the
alphabet; several are listed with the corresponding indenter and load in Tables given below. For
superficial tests, 3 kg is the minor load; 15, 30, and 45 kg are the possible major load values.
These scales are identified by a 15, 30, or 45 (according to load), followed by N, T, W, X, or Y,
depending on indenter. Superficial tests are frequently performed on thin specimens. Table below
presents several superficial scales. When specifying Rockwell and superficial harnesses, both
hardness number and scale symbol must be indicated. The scale is designated by the symbol HR

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2nd semester | MT 101

followed by the appropriate scale identification.12 For example, 80 HRB represents a Rockwell
hardness of 80 on the B scale, and 60 HR30W indicates a superficial hardness of 60 on the 30W
scale.
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Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

For each scale, hardnesses may range up to 130; however, as hardness values rise above 100 or
drop below 20 on any scale, they become inaccurate; and because the scales have some overlap,
in such a situation it is best to utilize the next harder or softer scale.
Inaccuracies also result if the test specimen is too thin, if an indentation is made too near a
specimen edge, or if two indentations are made too close to one another. Specimen thickness
should be at least ten times the indentation depth, whereas allowance should be made for at least
three indentation diameters between the center of one indentation and the specimen edge, or to
the center of a second indentation. Furthermore, testing of specimens stacked one on top of
nother is not recommended. Also, accuracy is dependent on the indentation being made into a
smooth flat surface.

The modern apparatus for making Rockwell hardness measurement is automated and very simple
to use; hardness is read directly, and each measurement requires only a few seconds.

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2nd semester | MT 101

The modern testing apparatus also permits a variation in the time of load application. This
variable must also be considered in interpreting hardness data.

Charpy Impact Test

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1 st year

Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

The impact strength or commonly known as the impact strength of a material can simply be
determined using a Charpy or an Izod test. This particular experiment used Charpy method to
determine the impact strength of both A and B under different situations. Impact properties are
not directly used in fracture mechanics calculations, but the economical impact tests continue to
be used as a quality control method to assess notch sensitivity and for comparing the relative
toughness of engineering materials.

The two tests use different specimens and methods of holding the specimens, but both tests make
use of a pendulum-testing machine. For both tests, the specimen is broken by a single overload
event due to the impact of the pendulum. A stop pointer is used to record how far the pendulum
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Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

swings back up after fracturing the specimen. The impact toughness of a metal is determined by
measuring the energy absorbed in the fracture of the specimen. The height of the pendulum times
the weight of the pendulum produces the potential energy and the difference in potential energy
of the pendulum at the start and the end of the test is equal to the absorbed energy.
Toughness is greatly affected by
1. Alloying compositions
2. Temperature (ductile to brittle transition- DBT): e.g. Titanic ship wreck
3. Heat treatments
4. Strengthening mechanisms

The primary objective of metallographic examinations is to reveal the constituents and structure
of the given specimen A and B. To determine the hardness by measuring the depth of penetration
of an indenter under a large load compared to the penetration made by a preload the Rockwell
hardness test was done on the specimen. Finally, still most importantly Charpy impact test was
done in order to study the principles of brittle fracture in mild steels, to understand the impact
toughness of materials with different heat and strengthening treatment and to interpret obtained
experimental data for the selection of engineering materials. Further the objectives of the
research were to get familiarize of all equipment available to obtain ductile-brittle transition,
hardness profile of end-quenched steels and grain identification. Though these were main
objectives, the whole research was based and built on the foundation objective of finding the
AISI values of the given specimen.

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Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Methodology
Metallographic Study
Specimen Preparation
The examination of materials by optical microscopy is essential in order to understand the
relationship between properties and microstructure. Metallographic is the study of metals by
optical examination. This is most commonly done using a conventional light microscope.
However useful information can be gained by examination with the naked eye of the surface of
metal objects or of polished and etched sections. Structures which are coarse enough to be
discernible be the naked eyes are termed macrostructures. Those which require magnification to
be visible are termed microstructures.
The preparation of a specimen to reveal its microstructure involves.

Sawing the section to be examined

Mounting in resins (if sample is too small)
Coarse grinding
Grinding on progressively finer emery paper
Polishing using alumina powder or diamond paste on rotating wheel
Etching in dilute acid (2% Nital for steel)

Rough Preparation
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Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

The specimen is ground on progressively finer SiC waterproof papers from 120 to 1000 grit, to
produce a reasonably flat surface; it is lubricated with water to keep it cool and to remove the
grinding products. The sample should be moved forward and backward on the paper until the
whole surface is covered with unidirectional scratches. It is then washed with running water to
remove debris associated with the grade of paper used. It is then ground on the next finer paper
such that the scratches produced are at right angles to those formed by the previous paper. This
procedure is repeated through the range of papers available.
When the specimen has been ground on the final paper, it is generally worthwhile rotating it
through and grinding again with less pressure than before. This technique can decrease the time
required for the next stage, which is polishing. Before polishing, the specimen and your hands
must be washed and dried to remove any SiC particles.
Diamond Polishing
The Diamond paste is available in various sizes 25 m, 15 m, 10 m, 1 m, 0.5 m, 0.25 m
and if required, polishing may be started with 25 m. When the surface is of acceptable quality,
polishing is continued with diamond paste of lower sizes. Check the appropriateness of diamond
paste for the polishing process for a particular material. In most cases two polishing should be
sufficient. This process is continued until the fine scratches from the final paper have been
removed. The specimen and your hands, particularly finger nails, should be thoroughly washed
to remove all traces of lubricant and the 6 m diamond. The specimen should be rinsed in
alcohol and dried. After polishing, the surface should be optically flat and should be able to use it
as a mirror. With many specimens the 1 m diamond finish will be adequate. On occasions
where it is not possible, 0.25m diamond finishing is required.

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EN 13

1 st year

Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Examination
Specimens should always be examined in the as polished condition to assess the quality of
polishing and to observe any features showing contrast. After examination and noting any
features, the specimen should be etched to develop additional contrast to reveal the
microstructure.
For mild steels, the specimen must be etched for about 10-15 seconds in Nital. Analyze the
specimen under the microscope and etch for a few more seconds if required.

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1 st year

Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Rockwell Hardness Test

Test Principle

Calculation
of
the
hardness number by using
depth h:
For spheroconical diamond
indenter:

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1 st year

Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Figure 7
Rockwell Hardness Scales (not superficial):

Scale

Pre-load

Indenter

Total

test Specimen material

symbol

kg (N)

10 (98)

Diamond (120, 0.2 tip radius)

60 (589)

Thin steel,

10 (98)

WC 1/16 (1.588mm)

100 (981)

Non-ferrous, soft steels

10 (98)

Diamond (120, 0.2 tip radius)

150 (1471)

Hard steels

force kg (N)

Test piece preparation

Top and bottom surfaces should be well aligned and cleaned from any foreign matter.

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2nd semester | MT 101

During preparation, avoid heat generation, cold work etc that cause alteration of
properties.

Minimum thickness, generally, should be 10 times the depth of indentation.

Testing Conditions and Procedures

Testing temperature should be within 10-35C, and user should ensure that the test
temperature does not adversely affect the results

Chose right specimen support (flat or V-grooved) that support specimen rigidly

Make certain the crank is in unload position

Chose the correct Rockwell scale according the specimen material, hence the relevant
indenter; and total test force by using load wheel (table 1).

Before start, large pointer in the dial face should be adjusted according to the table 2

Place the specimen and bring the indenter into contact with the test surface in a direction
perpendicular to the surface of velocity less than 2.5 mm/s by raising the anvil (slowly
turn the hand wheel clockwise). Movement of large pointer in the dial face is the
indication for proper contact

Obtaining preliminary load (10kg): continue turning the hand wheel for required number
of revolutions of large pointer according to the table 2 (over travelling of the large pointer
should be avoided). (dwell time is 0.1 to 4s)

Apply load by moving the crank in to the load position slowly (loading time is 1-8s, and
dwell time is 2-6s)

Unload the specimen by moving the crank back, and read the relevant dial for the result

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Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Always take two or more readings on each test specimen, and get the average and round
up. Minimum indentation gap is, approximately 3 times the indented area or 2.5 times
away from an edge of the specimen

Interpretation of hardness number is done by writing the value followed by the scale.
o Example: 64 HRC

Remove the minor load by lowering the anvil

Scale

Dial figures

symbol

Large

pointer Small pointer position (or # of

position (initial)

revolutions of large pointer)

Black

0 or C

Red spot (3)

Red

30 or B

2 divisions (2)

Black

0 or C

Red spot (3)

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2nd semester | MT 101

Charpy Impact Test

Specimen Preparation

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EN 13

1 st year

Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Since most of materials were anisotropic Specimen of A and B were prepared according
to preferred direction

Specimen dimensions:

55x10x10m
m

A V-type notch is machined in the specimen using a notching device shown below.

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2nd semester | MT 101

Test Preparation

Safety is to be considered at all times to protect personnel from the swinging pendulum
and flying broken specimen. Thus students were advised to stay far from the pendulum
swinging area.

The operation-knob that controls the pendulum movement was familiarized since for soft
metals the pendulum remained swinging.

Test Procedure
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Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

Check the free swing for zero in the scale and whenever if it is not, the friction was
adjusted clearly.

Mount the pendulum away by using pendulum-support in order to provide

room for the specimen mounting

Mount the specimen on the anvil by facing the notch as shown in the following figure.

Centre the specimen by using a centering device

Raise the pendulum up to the preparation position, and lock

the pendulum

Release the pendulum by turning the operation-knob into

impact position; and obtain the impact toughness of the
specimen

Finally, stop the pendulum by using the breaking system

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Material Science Lab Report

2nd semester | MT 101

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