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DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL AND INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND BUILDENVIRONMENT

LAB 2: Microstructure Characterization

SURNAME : Thobejane
INITIALS : LK
STUDENT NO : 222231672
COURSE : Mechanical Engineering
MODULE : Material Science and Manufacturing
DATE : 24 October 2022

I confirm that this assignment is my own work, is not copied from any other person's work,
and has not previously been submitted for assessment either at the University of
Johannesburg or elsewhere.

Signed………………………………………. Date ………………………………………….

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

I would like to give thanks to the tutors and the lab technicians for the help they provided us
with and my fellow group members for their wonderful cooperation. And thanks to our
Material Science and Manufacturing lecturer Mr. Mukhawana for preparing us for the
practical with theory
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Content Page

Contents
1. Aim.....................................................................................................................................3

2. Introduction (Background/ Literature)................................................................................3

3. List of equipment................................................................................................................4

4. Theory.................................................................................................................................5

5. Experimental Setup and Methodology...............................................................................5

6. Results.................................................................................................................................6

7. Discussion...........................................................................................................................8

8. Conclusion..........................................................................................................................8

9. References...........................................................................................................................9
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1. Aim

Using an optical microscope to examine the composition and structure of metals and their
alloys

2. Introduction (Background/ Literature)

Metals are composed of crystals when they are solid. Crystalline structure is the term for the
internal organization of atoms into a regular, three-dimensional pattern. In the experiment,
steel is solid metal. In typical metallic materials that are polycrystalline, a collection of many
tiny crystals called grains emerges. These grains are often exceedingly tiny and are therefore
impossible to see with the naked eye. Because of this, these structural traits are typically
examined under a microscope. These features are often examined with an optical microscope
or, if possible, an electron microscope with a magnification of over 100 times.
Microstructures are those types of materials that need to be analyzed at these magnification
levels. Microscopes are essential for analyzing the metal's microstructure. Evidently, the
internal structure of any material is crucial in terms of engineering materials. And the
arrangement, qualities, and functionality of each material are related to its structure.
Microstructures typically determine a material's mechanical, physical, and chemical
properties. Specific characteristics including grain size, phases present, chemical
homogeneity, phase distribution, and elongated structures generated by plastic deformation
found under a microscope can reveal details about a material's composition, history of use,
and attributes. Furthermore, it's crucial to comprehend the structure of any substance in
practical applications as well as the composition and other aspects that have been covered. [1]
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3. List of equipment

a. Optical Microscope

Figure 1: Optical Microscope [2]

4. Theory

It is necessary to carry out some thorough surface preparation in order to reveal the
specimen's microstructure's essential details. For the processing of the specimen, several
processes are taken. During the grinding and polishing procedure, the specimen is mounted.
A rotating disc grinding machine is used for the grinding. There are many different types of
grinding papers with numbers in the machine. Although there are more grades, there is less
roughness. The specimen is polished to a smooth, mirror-like surface during the grinding
process. The same machine is used for this procedure, but a soft cloth is used instead. This is
done in order to remove the surface roughness. The specimen is then immersed into a suitable
chemical solution, where the reaction's grain boundaries will get attacked. This procedure
served as a preparation for the etching process. The reagent will corrode the specimen's
surface during the etching process. After etching, the specimen was rinsed with solvent and
water to remove the etching.
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¿ Number of lines ( x ) × Mean intercept length(l)

Grain
Average Number Of Intercept ( y)

5. Experimental Setup and Methodology

 A finely ground and polished specimen sample was acquired.

 The carved surface of the sample was analyzed using an optical microscope
 On a computer software called Olympus, a printout of the microstructure was scaled.
 On the Microstructure image, ten parallel, equal-length straight lines were drawn.
 The number of grain boundary intersections was thereafter counted

6. Results
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Figure 2: Etched Sample Grain Image

Standard Value
Grain Size Number (G) 7.07
Mean Intercept Length [µm] 27.60
Average Number of Intercepts 245
Number of Intercepts per Unit Length 36.23
[1/mm]
Number of lines

Line n.o Number of Intercepts

1 14
2 24
3 25
4 27
5 22
6 19
7 26
8 30
9 32
10 25
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Graphical Analysis

Number of Intercepts per line

35

30

25
Number Of Intercepst

20

15

10

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Line Number

Calculations

¿10 × 2.76× 10−2

Grain
245
= 1.13 µm

7. Discussion

The Experiment was successfully conducted as we were able to see the microstructure of the
specimen, specifically 304 Stainless steel. During The Experiment, we had run into a few
obstacles whereby the specimen obtained scratches and we had to go back to the polishing
machine and repolish it after regrinding it and repolishing it before the etching process.
Engineering materials are typically divided into four major categories, including metals,
ceramics, polymers, and semiconductors. The geometrical arrangement of their atoms and the
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sort of bonding that binds them together typically determine the significant properties of solid
materials. The internal component arrangement is taken into account when determining the
structure of engineering materials. The atoms are arranged according to a periodical repeating
array in crystalline material which is known as a lattice or crystal. In order to determine the
qualities, a large number of big, clustered atoms are placed in what is known as a
microstructure. According to research most 304 stainless steel’s grain size ranges from 1
micrometre to 3 micrometers

8. Conclusion
Numerous details regarding the structure of the material are revealed by studying the
microstructure. It makes clear whether components lie under specific criteria. Numerous
details on the microstructure's characteristics and structure are also given. The experiment's
results are very useful for assessing the material. The microstructure analysis provides very
important information about any crystal structure, whether it is metallic or not.
Microstructure analysis is used in organizations to determine when materials will suffer.

9. References

[1] S. L. I. o. I. Technology, "StuDocu," 2020. [Online]. Available:

https://www.studocu.com/row/document/sri-lanka-institute-of-information-technology/
engineering-materials/microstructure-examination-of-steel/9837527. [Accessed 15 October
2022].
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[2] R. D. E. Nadjm, "Wikimedia Commons," Rouibi Dhia Eddine Nadjm, 26 july 2020. [Online].
Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dark_Cool_Optical_Microscope.png.
[Accessed 15 October 2022].
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