Page 129 - MY STORY

lecture but also physically demonstrate the techniques

required to prepare samples for examination in the
transmission electron microscope.“ Like it or not, this
will take a little explanation.

The transmission electron microscope can only create
high magnification images of transparent objects, which

have to be very, very thin. We’re talking thicknesses of
Angstroms to microns (less than tissue paper thin). Well,
then how does one examine a metal fracture surface on a

big chunk of metal in a transmission microscope? Here is
a summary of required steps to create a transmission

replica of the fracture surface that can be imaged and
interpreted.

1. Clean the surface to carefully remove contaminants,

corrosion, dirt – anything that might be concealing the
raw fracture without causing damage to the surface of

interest.

2. Visually identify portions of the fracture that might be

key to understanding what might have caused the fracture
to start and propagate.