Optical Microscopy

The optical microscope is equipped with an image analyses system and data base function. Therefore, the following microscopy techniques are possible:

• Clear field
• Dark field
• Nomarski interference contrast
• Polarised light
• Oblige illumination

The optical microscope can be used for general material characterisation, applied for, among other things:

• Metals (steel, stainless steel, aluminium, copper, nickel based alloys etc.)
• Ceramics
• Cermets (Metallic matrix with ceramic particles)
• Plastics and (fiber) reinforced plastics
• Plastic composites
• Failure analysis:
• The determination of, for example, performed heat treatments, microstructure characteristics like elementary bodies and causes of tear initiations.
• The course of the damage, for example (intergranular) or (transgranular), see figure below.
• Materials advice

Stress corrosion cracking in AISI316L