Metallurgy Laboratory

The Metallurgy lab is used for education and research and contains all the necessary equipment to prepare samples prior to microscopic analysis or to testing. Sample preparation and microscopic characteristics are performed on a wide variety of materials (metals and metal alloys, ceramics, metal-ceramic composites, polymer and polymer composites).

This laboratory covers the following procedures and techniques:

Cutting (manual and precision), sample mounting (hot and cold), grinding and polishing (up to mirror finish), electropolishing, chemical etching of samples to characterize the grain structure, optical microscopy, micro hardness testing and ovens for heat treatment.

The laboratory has the following equipment:

• Optical microscopes with photo microscopy - one inverted microscope and one upright metallurgical microscope, in addition to two stereomicroscopes
• Electro polisher (LectroPol-5)
• Two manual grinders and polishers (Buehler and Struers)
• Automatic grinder and polisher (Struers)
• Two cutting machines - One manual (with SiC disc) and one automatic (with diamond wheel for precision cutting)
• Hot mounting press (LaboPress)
• Facilities for cold mounting
• Vickers micro hardness tester
• Two Nabertherm furnace for heat treatment up to 1200°C
• Oven with heat effect up to 200°C
• Oil bath for heat treatment
• Binders vacuum oven with heat effect up to 200°C