A Generic Metallographic Preparation Method for Magnesium Alloys

Abstract

Based on a survey of past metallographic practices and procedures in the literature, a general procedure was developed and evaluated on pure magnesium, a range of currently available high-performance magnesium alloys, and a couple of non-commercial alloys. Our experimental investigation revealed that a single robust composite sequence of polishing and etching steps is possible with slight modifications, based on the alloy composition families tested. The procedure developed shows the microstructural features of the alloys well, delineating grain boundaries and intergranular phases with adequate contrast. Electron microscopy based observations coupled with energy dispersive x-ray analysis were used to identify the major constituents. Details of the procedure, its limitations, and suggested adjustments or changes are described.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA585245

Entities

People

  • James E. Catalano
  • Laszlo J Kecskes

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Alcohols
  • Alloys
  • Boundaries
  • Chemical Analysis
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Corrosion Resistance
  • Detectors
  • Electron Microscopy
  • Electrons
  • Grain Boundaries
  • Magnesium Alloys
  • Materials
  • Methanols
  • Microscopy
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Rare Earth Elements

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Materials Science (Mechanical Engineering).
  • Metallurgy
  • Systems Analysis and Design

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics