Name: KARTHIGEYAN R

S.R.N- R18MDD05

STUDY OF MICROSTRUCTURE OF COPEER, ALUMINUM

AND BRASS.
 METALLOGRAPHY OF SPECIMEN:

AIM: To study the microstructure of a given specimen and draw its microstructure.

APPARATUS: Metallurgical microscope with light source, objective lens and

eyepiece lens with different magnifications, etchant, abrasive alumina powder.

THEORY: Examination of metal surfaces with naked eye or at higher

magnification is done for many purposes. These may include process control during
manufacture, detection of defects, identification of various phases present in the
structure and examination of many other parameters with control surfaces structures
and properties of metals and alloys.

We know that all engineering materials are known by their set of properties. The
properties of any engineering material depend to a large extent on its microstructure
and macrostructure. Macrostructure of an alloy is generally observed with the naked
eye or may be with 15 times magnification.

The macrostructure of an alloy gives information on its grain structure. That is size,
shape and defects present like inclusions and blow holes and fabrication technique
used to produce the same and so on.

Microstructure of an alloy refers to the internal structure of the alloy which can be
observed from about 50X onwards and up to about 1500X. Microstructure of an
alloy would reveal the distribution of phases present in it which is unique to each
alloy. Each one of these phases will have their own crystal structure and individual
set of properties and their mix would determine the final set of properties of an alloy.
The nature and occurrences of these phases in turn as a function and different
independent variables such as temperature, pressure and composition.
 Metallurgical optical microscope: A metallurgical microscope shown in
figure 1 is used to reveal details in a material that are too small to be normally seen
with the naked eye. The study of structure with microscope is carried out using
reflected light.

The microscope consists of three optical systems:

1) Illuminator
2) Objective piece (M15X, M10X, M45X, M100X)
3) Eye piece (H5X, WF10X).

 PROCEDURE :
1) The specimen are fine grinded on water proof emery paper of progressively
finer grades (600, 1000, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 and 4/0) that are attached to a plane glass
plate.
2) The specimens drawn back and forth along the entire length of a 600 grit paper
so that scratched surfaces reduced is roughly at right angles to those produced
by preliminary polishing operation. Polishing is then carried on 1000 grit
paper and again turning the specimen through 90 degree until previous scratch
marks are removed. This process is repeated with 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 and 4/0
successively. The specimen is then washed with water.
3) The final polishing operation is to remove fine scratches on the surfaces using
rotary polishing machine. The specimen is polished by rubbing it on a velvet
cloth mounted on a flat rotating disc with the polishing paste. Polishing is
continued scratch free mirror surface is obtained. During polishing a constant
drip of alumina is mixed with water paste is fed to the rotating pad, after
polishing the specimen must be washed thoroughly.
4) The specimens are then placed on microscope table. The coarse and fine
adjustment screws are adjusted. The objective lens with different
magnification is used to find the best picture under particular magnification
of grain structure is observed.

Fig.a- Microscope
  MICROSTRUCTURE OF COPPER:

The photograph of microstructure of copper is shown in figure 1. The microstructure

shows equi-axed twinned grains. The structures may contain oxide inclusions
throughout the grains.

 MICROSTRUCTURE OF ALUMINUM ALLOY:

The specimen is a 3% copper and 6% silicon aluminum alloy. The microstructure

shows grains of Al-Si eutectics is a matrix of aluminum solid solution. The entire
matrix shows spike like Al-Si grains in an aluminum solution. As it is a casting,
some properties are also present in microstructure of Aluminum alloy is shown in
figure 2.

 MICROSTRUCTURE OF BRASS:

The composition is 60% copper and 40% zinc with impurities of lead. The material
is placed in a microscope. The microscope shows the microstructure equalized zinc
grains in a matrix of copper solid solution.

The microstructure of brass is shown in figure 3.

Fig. 1 – Microstructure of Copper.
Fig.2 – Microstructure of Aluminum.
Fig. 3 – Microstructure of Brass.