Powerful microscopy techniques available for resolving complex microstructure in multiphase steels

Abstract

The electron microscopy and microanalysis techniques available at the CP2M Centre have been used to study the complex precipitation phenomena in a titanium-containing dual phase steel. Nitrides, carbides and carbonitrides of titanium have been characterized at microscopic and nanoscopic scales using carbon extraction replicas and thin foils. Precipitation occurred mainly heterogeneously on existing particles (CaS, TiN). Thin foils have also been examined in a new scanning electron microscope with a field emission gun.