Use of scanning and transmission electron microscopes for fractographic analysis of steels

Abstract

1. The selection of transmission or scanning electron microscopes depends on the goal of the investigation and the object investigated. 2. The use of the transmission electron microscope is expedient in studying the characteristics of the fine structure which are revealed at large magnifications and require a high resolving capacity. 3. It is expedient to use the scanning electron microscope to study the characteristics of the structure which can be revealed by the three-dimensional picture in a large range of magnifications. 4. It is possible to determine the character of fracture from the fine structure (ductile, brittle, intergranular, and fatigue fractures) with scanning and transmission electron microscopes, since the microfractographic patterns obtained with both instruments are identical. 5. It is of considerable interest to analyze the characteri of fracture with the scanning electron microscope with use of stereoscopic images, which permit the most complete analysis of the structure. The method of preparing and analyzing stereoscopic images is of great practical interest, since it opens up additional possibilities for quantitative analysis of fractures.