458

METALLOGRAPHY

13
12

INTERCEPT LENGTH DISTRIBUTION

DUPLEX GRAIN STRUCTURE
Log-normal Plot

II

10

t-

i 9

_i

o 8

o
? 6

S4

o:
m

Q- 3

~Lg0.07 mm
4
Coarse
/ Grains

0.1

0.5

1.0

5.0

10.0

50

INTERCEPT LENGTH .mm

Figure 6-13 Logarithmic frequency distribution curve of the random intercept measurements of the
duplex grain structure shown in Fig. 6-11.

intercepted by the test lines is counted. In this case, it is much better to count the
number of intercepted grains than to count the number of grain-boundary
intersections. These two measurements are not equal for two-phase structures.
The mean linear intercept of the matrix (a) phase L 3 a is calculated according to:
LXa = -

(6-41)

Na

where LT is the total line length calculated at IX. An example of the measurement
procedure is given in Fig. 6-14.
Snyder-Graff intercept method The prior-austenite grain size of high-speed tool
steels is generally in the range of ASTM 9 to 12, a range in which the fracture grain
size method described in the next section is insensitive. In this range, the number
of grains per unit area changes by a factor of about 10 and the mean intercept
length is reduced from 14.1 to 5 u,m but the grain size number changes only three
units. Grain refinement that is within this range or is finer produces a significant
improvement in properties. In an effort to obtain greater sensitivity to these
changes, Snyder and Graff developed a modified intercept method, which was
introduced in 1938 [47].
The prior-austenite grain size of many high-alloy tool steels in the asquenched or lightly tempered condition can be revealed simply by etching with
nital (2 to 10%). Snyder and Graff found that the addition of 10% HC1 to 3% nital