MATERIALS PREPARATION FOR MICROSTRUCTURAL ANALYSIS.

Specimen Number BB16

® SPRAY COATINGS

Specimen - Spray Coat (AMDRY 960/187c) -

Alumina/Titanium dioxide
Bond Coat (AMDRY 960) - Nickel chrome
Substrate - Cast Iron
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Etching - CARE MUST BE EXERCISED if
etching is to be undertaken in particular when
preferential attack at the interface could destroy
vital information. It is wise therefore to optically
analyse prior to any etching. The Buehler
Materials Preparation Guide shows excellent
examples of etched aluminium-silicon and nickel
aluminide.

Sectioning Encapsulation
Series 20 LC Wafering Blade/Ultrathin Wheel* Epoxide Resin

METHOD Lubricant Size/Type Direction Platen Speed Head Speed Lbs/n Time/µm
rpm rpm per
sample
Planar SiC Paper Water P240 grit Comp 200 120 5 Until Plane
Grinding

Sample UltraPad 9µm Comp 200 120 5 4 mins

Integrity water-based
diamond
suspension
Texmet 3µm Comp 250 120 5 4 mins
water-based
diamond
suspension
Texmet 1µm 0.05µm Comp 80 60 5 4 mins
water-based colloidal
diamond silica
suspension
Polishing

Characteristics
This is a most critical analysis since component failure will be catastrophic i.e. spray coatings are
subjected to a critical and stringent specification involving the analysis of
delamination/cracks/porosity/interface voids/spheroidal particles/bond coat oxides/penetration of grit
blasts etc. Spray coatings have been made a specialist subject in the book ‘Surface Preparation and
the Microscopy of Materials’ and this is recommended for further reading.

Brightfield optical microscopy information can often be enhanced by using darkground and
differential interference contrast. Additionally the first order sensitive tint plate between crossed
polars can verify the integrity of the prepared specimen.

* Material may be mounted before sectioning to protect the surface layer.

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Copyright BUEHLER KRAUTKRAMER 1998