Why use Scanning Electron Microscopy?
By using electrons instead of light, greater magnification is achieved.
Sometimes the structure of a material is so small, it cannot be seen under a light microscope, like Aluminium alloys for example. Fracture surfaces are best seen with an electron microscope. The features of a fracture surface under electron microscope can reveal whether failure occurred by fast fracture or fatigue.
How Can This Help You?
The electron microscope has the advantage in that you can measure the composition of anything you can see in the structure. You can see what elements are in corrosion products and from this define what caused the corrosion.
The One Eighty Engineering Solution.
A faulty galvanized pipe was brought in for microstructural investigation. We imaged the pipe in the electron microscope. Various irregularities in the coating could be seen that were not visible with the light microscope. Composition measurements could be taken on the galvanized layer to explain these irregularities. Corroded pipes were brought for analysis. By analysing the corrosion product in the perforated areas the corrosion could be linked to poor water treatment.
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