Title: Microstructure examination of steel.

Objective: To observe the composition, structure and properties of metals and their alloys by
means of an optical microscope.
Introduction:
In solid form, metals are crystalline in structure. The arrangement of the atoms which are in order
and in three dimensional pattern are internal structures and known as crystalline structure, which in
this experiment is of solid metal steel. A collective of many very small crystals exists in normal
metallic materials of polycrystalline and these crystals are known are grains. Normally, these grains
are very small in size and impossible to observe with bare naked eyes. There for these structural
features are observed usually by an optical microscope or if possible by an electron microscope
with magnification above hundred times. These structures which require this type or range of
magnification for their examination are called microstructures. The internal structure of any
material is evidentially very important in any engineering material aspect. And the structure of any
material is associated with its arrangement, properties, and performance. And it very important to
understand the composition and other discussed factors of any materials structure in real life
applications. And in this experiment gives us an idea of how to observe the internal structure of
steel and will help in the understanding of how to observe in other materials as well.
Theory:
Before examining the steel specimen, there are some before in hand procedures to follow for a
better observation. Initially the specimen should be prepared for the examination;
Mounting: Is done for the ease of holding the specimen during the grinding and polishing
process. Here, in one process, cold mounting is conducted where using two components
resins which are liquid to start with but which set solid shortly after mixing. Cold mounting
requires very simple equipment consisting of a cylindrical ring which serves as a mold and
a flat piece which serves as the base of the mold. The sample is placed on the flat piece
within the mold and the mixture poured in and allowed to set. Cold mounting takes few
hours to complete. Another method is hot-mounting which uses a heating method.
Grinding: Is done using rotating discs covered with silicon carbide paper and water. There
are a number of grades of paper, with 180, 240, 400, 1200, grains of silicon carbide per
square inch. 180 grade therefore represents the coarsest particles and this is the grade to
begin the grinding operation. We should always use light pressure applied at the center of
the sample. Continuation of this grinding should be carried out until the blemishes are
removed.
Polishing: Is done to get a mirror like surface to clearly observe the structure here it is being
polished by polishers which has rotating discs covered with soft cloth impregnated with a
pre-prepared slurry of hard powdery alumina particles (Al 2O3, the size ranges from 0.5 to
0.03 m). This is done due to fact that the surface unevenness will be removed.
The specimen should be put in acid in which the acid will attack the grain boundaries taken
into a reaction.
Etching: Is done due to Grinding and polishing operations produce a highly deformed, thin
layer on the surface which is removed chemically during etching. Secondly, the etchant
attacks the surface with preference for those sites with the highest energy, leading to surface

relief which allows different crystal orientations, grain boundaries, precipitates, phases and
defects to be distinguished in reflected light microscopy as demonstrated in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Surface reflections

To calculate the average grain size, the average grain interception method is used. How it is
conducted is initially drawing a set of equal length parallel lines on the micrograph. After that,
counting the number of times the line segment cuts the grain boundary, and thereafter finding the
ratio of intercepts to the line length.
AGI = (Number of intercepts)/ (line length)
Materials and apparatus:
Optical Microscope with 50x and 1000x magnification.

Figure 1: Optical microscope

A light source.

Figure 2: Light source

Piece of steel of which its surface fully polished (using abrasive papers and powders).

Figure 3: Piece of steel

Meter ruler

Procedure:

A recently cut and polished sample of steel was obtained.

It was then placed under an optical microscope and a light was shown on to the cut surface
of the piece of steel while the sample was under the microscope.
A printout of the microstructure was taken to scale on a paper
About five parallel equally lengthen of straight lines were drawn on the printed paper.
Afterwards the number of grains were counted which each line was cut. Started from the
middle of a grain.
The counted number of grains were then summed up.
The number of grains was then divided by the number of lines to find the average number
of grains.
The length of the line was taken to the scale of the. Taken the length of the line according to
the scale of the printed microstructure and divided it by the number of grains to find the
average size of a grain.

Calculations:
Average length of line: 122.45m
Average grains per line: 9.167 grains
Average grain size: 122.45m/9.16=13.36m

Conclusion:
In considering the examination of the microstructure, which provides many information regarding
its properties, configuration, and clarifies weather structural parameters are within certain
specifications. The observed results will be useful for the evaluation of the material to be accepted
or rejected. Usually the microstructure examination is performed by an optical or scanning electron
microscope for the magnification process. This examination is conducted in the industry to identify
failure of materials and evaluation specifications.

References
Askania (2010) Routine Incident Light Illumination Microscope RMA 5 oo, [Online],
Available: http://www.askania.de/data/index.php?
option=com_content&task=view&id=86&Itemid=116&lang=en [16 Aug 2014].

clintoncc Microscopy, [Online], Available:

http://faculty.clintoncc.suny.edu/faculty/michael.gregory/files/bio%20101/bio
%20101%20laboratory/microscopy/microscopy%20lab.htm [12 Aug 2014].

Lab Testing (2014) PERFORMING MICROSTRUCTURAL EXAMINATION, [Online],

Available: http://www.labtesting.com/3960/performing-microstructuralexamination/#.U_NfxfmSw6w [16 Aug 2014].

Trinity NDT (2012) Material Testing laboratory Services, [Online], Available:

http://www.trinityndt.com/services_material.php [16 Aug 2014].

Discussion
The examination of the microstructure of steel is very important in many industries when
considering the microstructural level. Why it is important is that it gives a definite answer to the
question; whether the material is suitable for a certain application. Such as in the construction
industry, the construction of a steel bridge, it is very important to verify whether the steel material
is of requires strength. Here the phase can be seen and can be distinguished as of steel, different
combinations of Fe and carbon will alter the properties of the material. When the size of the grain
decreases, the total crystalline area reduces and therefore the amorphous area too reduces.
Errors that have and could have happened in the experiment

During the polishing stage, right amount of polish may have not acquired during the process
which will result in an uneasiness in observing the right structure.

An old cut specimen can be used in the experiment after polishing may form rust again and
will cause to observe the specimen in a wrong manner.

During the work with the printed microstructure diagram, the line length can be observed
wrong which will result in getting the wrong average grain size.

During the work with the printed microstructure diagram, when counting the grains, errors
can happen and can alter the average grain size.

Improvements the can be done to the experiment

The right amount of polishing should be carried out onto the specimen to get the correct
observation.

A fresh piece just after polishing should be observed by the microscope.

Precise calculations and observations should be carried out. This can be done with high
level of concentration followed by the use of precise equipment such as the microscope and
ruler.

The grains should be counted precisely by counting it more than two times each.

In the real deal any different microscopy techniques are used in metallographic analysis. Prepared
specimens should be examined with the unaided eye after etching to detect any visible areas that
have responded to the etchant differently from the norm as a guide to where microscopical
examination should be employed. Light optical microscopy (LOM) examination should always be

performed prior to any electron metallographic (EM) technique, as these are more time-consuming
to perform and the instruments are much more expensive.
Further, certain features can be best observed with the LOM, e.g., the natural color of a constituent
can be seen with the LOM but not with EM systems. Also, image contrast of microstructures at
relatively low magnifications, e.g., <500X, is far better with the LOM than with the scanning
electron microscope (SEM), while transmission electron microscopes (TEM) generally cannot be
utilized at magnifications below about 2000 to 3000X. LOM examination is fast and can cover a
large area. Thus, the analysis can determine if the more expensive, more time-consuming
examination techniques using the SEM or the TEM are required and where on the specimen the
work should be concentrated.