Final Preparation techniques for TEM

Material	Technique	Details	Reference
Fe-Si, S.S.	EW	60% H3PO4, 40% H2SO4, 9V	Tomlinson 1958
Many Steels	E	96% CH3COOH, 4% H2O + 200 g/l CrO3. Stir at 65°C for 1 hr. Cool use at » 10 V. Rinse in alcohol, dip in acetic acid before replacing in electrolyte.	Glenn and Raley 1963
Fe, mild steel	EH	88% CH3COOH, 12% H2O + 170 g/l CrO3, 20 V	Briers et al. 1964
S.S.	EH	5% HClO4, 95% CH3COOH + 20 g/l CrO3 + 10 g/l NiCl2, 50-80V. Stir.	Briers et al. 1964
Many Steels	EIJ	100 g Na2CrO4 per 500 ml CH3COOH, 30-35 V	Shoone and Fischione 1966, Glenn and Schoone 1964
Many Steels	E	H3PO4 + excess CrO3, stand 1 day before using, Low Voltage.	Keown 1970
Fe and S.S.	Disapol	Disapol A2	Phillips and Hugo 1960
Fe-33 Ni	EB	5% HClO4, 95% CH3COOH, 40V	Krauss 1963
Fe, mild steel	Figure of 8	10% HClO4, 90% CH3COOH	Brandon and Nutting 1959a and b
Mild Steel	EP	95% CH3COOH, 5% H2O + 400 g/l CrO3, 1-3V	Ginn and Brown 1965
Bainitic or martensitic Steels	EP	95% (CH3CO)2O, 5% HClO4	Irani and Jones 1966
S.S.	EJ	Dimple: 48% H3PO4, 32% H2SO4, 20% H2O. Final: 54% H3PO4, 36% H2SO4, 10% C2H5OH or H2O	Rowcliffe 1966
Fe-Ti	EIJ	Dimple: 95% CH3COOH, 5% HClO4, 12 V, 20°C. Final: 60% CH3OH, 34% n-butanol, 6% HClO4, 15 V, -50°C	Rack and Cohen 1970
Fe-17 Cr-10 Ni	EP	70% C2H5OH, 20% Glycerol 10% HClO4, -10°C, 5-20 V	Raty et al. 1966
Fe-Si	E	Single crystals. 80% H3PO4, 13% CrO3, 7% H2O, 8V	Gemperle 1963
Fe-Si		High purity material, Disapol AC-1 (AC-2 and D-” also suitable)	Walter and Koch 1962
Fe-Ni	EB	6% H2SO4, 94% H3PO4 + 100 g/l CrO3, 60°C, 0.33 A/cm2	Hammond and Ansell 1964
Fe-Mn	E	70% H3PO4, 30% H2O + 300 g/l CrO3, 65°C. 6V	Roberts 1964
Fe	U	Diamond knife	Phillips 1967
Magnetic iron oxides	Ion	6kV, argon ions	Schmidt et al. 1970
Fe3O4	CJ	80% H2PO4, 20% H2O, 120°C	Wicks 1968

B Bollmann technique

C Chemical Polish

E Electropolish

H PTFE holder

I Immersed (of jets)

Ion Ion Beam thinning

J Jet technique

U Ultramicrotomy

W Window technique

Acetic acid CH₃COOH

Acetic anhydride (CH₃CO)₂O

Cadmium hydroxide Cd(OH)₂

Chromium trioxide CrO₃

Ethanol C₂H₅OH

Hydrochloric acid HCl

Hydrofluoric acid HF

Hydrogen peroxide H₂O₂

Methanol CH₃OH

Nitric acid HNO₃

Ortho-phosphoric acid H₃PO₄

Perchloric acid HClO₄

Potassium cyanide KCN

Potassium ferrocyanide K₄Fe(CN)₆

Sodium hypochlorite NaOCl

Sodium hydroxide NaOH

Sulphuric acid H₂SO₄

Water H₂O

Data from ‘Practical Methods in Electron microscopy, Vol 1, P. J. Goodhew, Ed: Audrey M. Glauert, 1972, North-Holland/ American Elsevier.

Table and Chemical names generated from Latex using ‘tth’ command.