NetNotes
variety of different kinds of materials. Naturally, all this varies with the take it back off. You can do a lot with low-voltage or in an ESEM. I can
sample type and microscopy, as well as with the questions asked. So, go into more detail if you want. I can post to the server to share with
not a specific, say, fractography book, or thin-film book, or even more- everyone if you could tell me more specifically what you are after. There
general-but-still-specific book such as for metallurgy, but a text like
are numerous books, especially for metals. Gerald Shulke gas19@
one would use in a materials EM course, but concentrated on sample
chrysler.com Fri Apr 24
prep, as opposed to a chapter on sample prep in a more general EM
I’ll refer to my other post for good general books for material
text. Which would also be handy to have hanging around the facility
science for both LM and SEM. I do not know of a specific book for
when whoever walks in with whatever kind of sample they have. Philip
sample prep for SEM in the materials field. There is an older book
Oshel oshel1pe@cmich.edu Fri Apr 24
“SEM: A User’s Manual for Material Science” by Gabriel, also published
Sample prep, well, I can say it depends.... What type of samples
by ASM, but it is from the 80’s and somewhat outdated. Sample
are you interested in? Metals, plastics, or ceramics? Are you more
prep techniques for SEM is usually covered in a chapter or a general
interested in light microscopy or electron microscopy? Basically we
discussion in several books based on failure analysis or specific for a
use microscopy for two things: materials characterization and failure
type of material. For general sample prep of metals for LM, I would
analysis. For materials characterization there are a number of protocols
add “Metallography Principles and Practice” by George Vander Voort.
depending on the material and what you are looking for in that material.
Gerald Shulke gas19@chrysler.com Fri Apr 24
For metals, let’s say, it depends on the alloy, how it was processed, and
what phases you are looking for. Most samples are mounted in Bakelite
These are two good refs for metals: ASM Metals Handbook
or epoxy, ground, polished, and etched to reveal the microstructure. For
Volume 9 Metallography and Microstructures and Metallography
failure analysis, there is not much sample prep. Usually you are looking
Principles and Practice by George Vander Voort. Jeff Stewart jeff@
for contaminants, deposits, etc. so you look at the sample in the as-
metallography.com Sat Apr 25
received condition first. After you have collected what information you
Not a book (the book is in French to my knowledge but the
can, then you clean the sample to see the fracture surface topography.
English version is expected in august 2009) but a good web site for the
For metals, it may be acetone or hexanes to remove oil and dirt. There
preparation of TEM samples: http://temsamprep.in2p3.fr/techniques.
are more aggressive approaches, but the idea is to remove most of the
php?lang=eng Patrick Weisbecker weis183@yahoo.fr Mon May 4
surface contamination without damaging the underlying material. It
Editor: A general book that fits your description has just been
depends if the sample was corroded or not. For polymers, the surface
published: Patrick Echlin, Handbook of Sample Preparation for Scanning
may be cleaned with soapy water. Anything harsher can destroy the
Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Microanalysis, Springer, New York,
surface. If the material is not very conductive for SEM, then we gold 2009.
sputter coat the sample. Usually this is a last resort, because you can’t
70
www.microscopy-today.com • 2009 September
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76