Polishing methods for metallic and ceramic transmission electron microscopy specimens

Technical Report · Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5522944

Kestel, B J

In recent years, the increasing sophistication of transmission electron microscope (TEM) studies of materials has necessitated more exacting methods of specimen preparation. The present report describes improved equipment and techniques for electropolishing and chemically polishing a wide variety of specimens. Many of the specimens used in developing or improving the techniques to be described were irradiated with heavy ions such as nickel or vanadium to study radiation damage. The high cost of these specimens increased the need for reproducible methods of initial preparation, postirradiation processing, and final thinning for TEM examination. A technique was also developed to salvage specimens that had previously been thinned but were unusable for various reasons. Jet polishing is, in general, the method of choice for surface polishing, sectioning, and thinning. The older beaker electropolishing method is included in this report because it is inexpensive and simple, and gives some insight into how the more recent methods were developed. 29 figures, 8 tables.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31-109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5522944
• Report Number(s): ANL-80-120; ON: DE82003251
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CERAMICS
POLISHING
METALS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SAMPLE PREPARATION
CHEMICAL POLISHING
ELECTROPOLISHING
HEAVY IONS
JETS
METALLOGRAPHY
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
CHARGED PARTICLES
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELEMENTS
IONS
LYSIS
MICROSCOPY
RADIATION EFFECTS
SURFACE FINISHING
360101* - Metals & Alloys- Preparation & Fabrication
360201 - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Preparation & Fabrication