Hard steel is a steel with high carbon content, high hardness, but relatively brittle. The preparation of metallographic samples is not difficult, mainly to preserve the original microstructure as much as possible, in order to facilitate the identification and analysis of various inclusions, carbides, and nitrides in the steel. The key to its main preparation step is the polishing process. By selecting the appropriate polishing agent combined with the appropriate metallographic polishing cloth, the ideal surface can be easily obtained.

    In the conventional method of preparing hard steel metallographic samples, the four step method is more common and has very good results. The following table represents this preparation method (the consumables in the table are based on the American QMAXIS consumables as a reference for similar consumables).

    From the above table, we can see that the preparation steps and consumables used are clear at a glance. However, in the fourth step, the selection of polishing cloth is relatively broad and can be tailored to local conditions, based on the existing types of metallographic polishing cloth in the laboratory.

Trident金相抛光布软的无绒白色合成织物

    The third step is to select Trident metallographic polishing cloth (as shown in the above figure), which is made of soft, lint free synthetic fabric, and can be used with fabrics of similar materials.

    In the fourth step, there are three types of metallographic polishing cloth to choose from (as shown in the above figure), among which the Veltex metallographic polishing cloth material is: velvet short pile cloth; The material of MicroCloth metallographic polishing cloth is: artificial fiber soft plush fabric; ChemoMet metallographic polishing cloth material is a porous synthetic flannel cloth that is resistant to chemical corrosion.


Although the preparation is relatively easy and the selection of polishing cloth is relatively broad, there are still certain limitations. If the selected polishing cloth does not meet the above materials, or if the material quality of the metallographic polishing cloth is not very good, such as dyeing, hair loss, fiber looseness, and it is difficult to exert the good grinding and polishing effect of the metallographic polishing agent, resulting in surface failure or unsatisfactory phenomenon of sample preparation, rework may be necessary, Severe cases may result in misjudgment of the metallographic structure. Therefore, attention should also be paid when selecting.


According to the suggestions of the metallographic editor of Chain Energy, selecting appropriate metallographic polishing cloth and polishing agent reasonably, combined with the correct method, we believe that an ideal hard steel metallographic analysis surface will be perfectly prepared. Looking forward to making your hard steel samples faster and better, then start by choosing such metallographic polishing cloth.