Common Metallographic Etchants Nital: Reveals austenite grain boundaries and other phases in plain iron and most

t steels. Typically mixed as 2 mL HNO3 in 98 mL methanol.

Picral: Good for showing carbides in ferritic steels, but does not show ferritic grain boundaries. Typically mixed as 4 g picric acid in 100 mL ethanol. Vilella's reagent: Also good for ferritic steels, but shows contrast between prior austenite grains and can be used for tool steels and martensitic stainless steels. Mixed as 1 g picric acid and 5 mL HCl in 100 mL ethanol. Marble's reagent: Exposes the grain structure of nickel superalloys. Mixed as 10 g CuSO4 in 50 mL HCl and 50 mL water. Keller's reagent: Highlights common features in aluminum and aluminum alloys, and is sometimes effective at showing grain boundaries. Mixed as 1.0 mL HF and 1.5 mL HCl in 2.5 mL HNO3 and 95 mL water.