This book acts as an expert guide to the various steps necessary for successful and accurate characterization of these materials including the crucially important preparation stage, the techniques used to reveal the microstructure and the analysis of the results.
In particular, the book presents fundamental information on preparing polished sections of ceramics and ceramic composites including the main steps of sampling, sectioning, mounting and impregnation, and mechanical grinding, lapping and polishing. It discusses microstructural imaging in the optical microscope (OM) and the use of the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Etching or contrast enhancement following final polishing in order to reveal the material's microstructure is also covered.
An entire chapter is devoted to material-specific preparation procedures for polished sections. These procedures take into account the properties of the ceramic or composite being examined and the purpose of the examination. They have proven to be very suitable for the respective materials and are effective for revealing the pores. The examples presented here for ceramics and ceramic composites provide polished sections of good to excellent quality for routine examination under the optical microscope. They include tips for etching and contrast enhancement, as well as microstructural images. Chapter 5 discusses the preparation of polished sections for purposes of examination and contains information on producing oblique sections and controlled removal of material. It also addresses the production of thin sections. As a complement to the examination of the microstructure, chapter 6 provides insight into the evaluation of hardness testing indentations. Chapter 7 concludes this work with an overview of the technical literature.
CERAMICS AND CERAMIC COMPOSITES: MATERIALOGRAPHIC PREPARATION This Page Intentionally Left Blank Ceramics and Ceramic Composites: Materialographic Preparation Gerhard Elssner, Helmut Hoven, Gonde Kiessler, and Peter Wellner Translated by Randall Wert ELSEVIER AMSTERDAM - LAUSANNE - NEW YORK - OXFORD - SHANNON - SINGAPORE - TOKYO 1999 ELSEVIER SCIENCE Inc. 655 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10010, USA © 1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved. This work is protected under copyright by Elsevier Science, and the following terms and conditions apply to its use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single chapters may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the Publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document deUvery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for nonprofit educational classroom use. Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier Science Rights & Permissions Department, PO Box 800, Oxford OX5 IDX, UK; phone: ( + 44) 1865 843830, fax: ( + 44) 1865 853333, e-mail:
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