School of Mechanical Engineering

B.Tech. Mechanical Engineering,

Fall Semester 2017-18
Materials Engineering & Technology Laboratory (MEE1005 Lab)
Faculty: Dr. Ariful Rahaman

1. Objective of the Experiment: To examine the microstructure of a given medium carbon steel, grey cast
iron

2. Facilities Required and Procedure:

(a) Facilities required to the experiment:
Emery sheets- 220, 400, 600, 800, 1000 and 1200 grit size.
Diamond Polishing compound,
Hifin fluid.
Disc polisher,
Metallurgical Microscope,
NITAL (95% water + 5% Nitric acid)

(b) Procedure for doing the experiment:

1. Grinding of the given sample is done by using of the Emery sheets of 200, 400, 600, 800,
1000 grit sizes.
2. To remove the micro level scratches, the sample is polished using disc polisher.
3. The above step is carried out until mirror finishing is obtained.
4. Etchant is applied . Etchant used is NITAL (95% Ethanol + 5% Nitric acid).
5. The sample is then washed and dried.
6. Now the sample is ready for microstructure observation under microscope.
(c) Observation:
(d) Result:
Hence the experiment is performed and sample is found white cast iron, grey cast is examined.

(e) Conclusion:
Gray iron is a common engineering alloy because of its relatively low cost and good
machinability,
which results from the graphite lubricating the cut and breaking up the chips
White cast iron contains pearlite + cementite, not graphite. Thickness variatio n may
result in nonuniform microstructure from variable cooling.