title: Preparation of TEM foils from Nb-10 a/o Si.
abstract: Ductile phase toughened composites contain phases with significantly different physical properties. Consequently, these phases thin at different rates depending on the sample preparation procedure. A new TEM foil preparation method for the ductile phase toughened Nb-10 a/o Si material has been developed. The method involves chemical thinning in a 70% nitric acid/30% hydrofluoric acid solution followed by electropolishing in a 12.5% sulfuric acid/87.5% methanol electrolyte at -40 degrees C. This procedure for making TEM foils results in large thin areas with the minimum of artifacts. Mechanical grinding of a sample followed by either ion milling, dimpling, or electropolishing produced foils with large electron transparent areas, but with uncharacteristic features of the original Nb-10 a/o Si alloy microstructure. These artifacts were identified as dislocations, surface mottling, and antiphase domains.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio 45435.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cockeram
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Omlor
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000497:Alloys; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods*; D009556:Niobium; D012825:Silicon
chemical_list: D000497:Alloys; D009556:Niobium; D012825:Silicon