In the RMS Foundation the following methods of the metallography of metallic, ceramic or polymere materials are at your disposal. Some services have been accredited according to ISO/IEC 17025 (identified by *).
Sample preparation for materialographic investigations*
The preparation of samples for the materialographic investigation includes several of the following selectively realised working steps, such as cutting, embedding, grinding, polishing and etching.
Device: Struers «Labotom» and «Accutom-2» cutting machine / Struers «Pronto Press-20» embedding press / Struers «Roto Force-4» and «Tegra Force-5» grinding and polishing devices
Contact: Myriam Gergs, Myriam.Gergs(at)rms-foundation.ch, +41 (0)32 644 16 93
Determination of the grain size and the volume fraction in multiple-phase structures*
Serves to determine the basic grain size number and the grain size based on standard methods as well as the volume fraction in multiple-phase structures by systematic point count of metallic and ceramic materials with picture documentation on paper (black and white / coloured) and/or electronically.
Device: Nikon «Epiphot» and light microscope Leica DMI5000 M
Contact: Myriam Gergs, Myriam.Gergs(at)rms-foundation.ch, +41 (0)32 644 16 93
Determination of non-metallic inclusions in metals*
Serves to characterise and determine the non-metallic inclusions of non-etched sections of metallic materials with a picture documentation on paper (black and white / coloured) and/or electronically.
Device: Nikon «Epiphot» and light microscope Leica DMI5000 M
Contact: Myriam Gergs, Myriam.Gergs(at)rms-foundation.ch, +41 (0)32 644 16 93
Please read more on "non-metallic inclusions" in our Newsletter No 13
Determination of the separated phase contents *
Estimation of the contents or determination of the separated phase percent such as delta ferrite, sigma phase and ferrite series using standard series with picture documentation on paper (black and white / coloured) and/or electronically.
Device: Nikon «Epiphot» and light microscope Leica DMI5000 M
Contact: Myriam Gergs, Myriam.Gergs(at)rms-foundation.ch, +41 (0)32 644 16 93
Measurement of coating thickness*
Serves to gauge the local thickness of metallic coatings and oxide layers by investigating the cross-sectional surface by means of a light microscope with picture documentation on paper (black and white / coloured) and/or electronically.
Device: Nikon «Epiphot» and light microscope Leica DMI5000 M
Contact: Myriam Gergs, Myriam.Gergs(at)rms-foundation.ch, +41 (0)32 644 16 93
Plastographic thin section technique on polymer materials*
The analysis of thin sections using polarised light in the transmitted light microscope serves to detect spherulites in semi-crystalline thermoplasts and to characterise the frozen orientations in semi-crystalline thermoplasts. A microtome is used to produce about 10 µm thick so-called thin sections. Only structures can be observed that cause a change of the light’s polarisation direction.
Devices: Leica RM 2165 rotation microtome / Leica MZ12 stereomicroscope with transmitted light unit
Contact: Fabrizio Bigolin, Fabrizio.Bigolin(at)rms-foundation.ch, +41 (0)32 644 12 05