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Copper - Metallographic Sample Preparation
Copper can be prepared for metallographic analysis easily using OnPoint Abrasives' consumable supplies and procedures. Below is a guide for preparing copper samples containing >95% Cu.
Sectioning: Section specimen with TitanSec abrasive blade or multi-purpose diamond blade.
Mounting: Compression mount specimen using PhenoMount phenolic powder. Phenolic mounting compounds are available in black, green, and red color. For samples that require castable mounting, we recommend using EpoPro liquid epoxy system.
Grinding and Polishing: In this section, we've provided two methods for preparing your copper specimen for analysis, Traditional Method and Advanced Method.
The Traditional Method uses a series of Silicon Carbide grinding papers to first planarize and grind the surface to around 3-5 micron (1200 grit), before moving to polishing steps using suspensions and cloths. This method is effective for general purpose metallography, although it can introduce some relief, or rounding of the specimen's edge.
TRADITIONAL METHOD FOR PREPARING COPPER FOR METALLOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS |
Step | Abrasive | Surface | Lube | Load/Sample | RPM | Time |
1 | 240 Grit | CarbiPro SiC | Water | 5 lbs | 200 | Planar |
2 | 320 Grit | CarbiPro SiC | Water | 5 lbs | 200 | 1:00 |
3 | 400 Grit | CarbiPro SiC | Water | 4 lbs | 200 | 1:00 |
4 | 600 Grit | CarbiPro SiC | Water | 4 lbs | 200 | 1:00 |
5 | 800 Grit | CarbiPro SiC | Water | 4 lbs | 200 | 1:00 |
6 | 1200 Grit | CarbiPro SiC | Water | 4 lbs | 200 | 1:00 |
7 | 1µm Alumina | UltraViolet Cloth | Lubricant/Extender | 4 lbs | 150 | 2:00 |
8* | FinalFloc Cloth | - | 4 lbs | 150 | 2:00 |
*For the final step, alternate between the alumina and ProPrep colloidal silica at 20 second intervals. Finish with a large dose of alumina when 0:30 seconds remain.
Note: Clean specimen by gently scrubbing the surface with a cotton ball under running water. Repeat until all alumina is removed. Use of an ultrasonic cleaner is highly recommended for samples with high porosity content or intricate geometries.
Our Advanced Method uses one or two steps of SiC grinding paper to initially planarize the mounted specimen. This is followed by a series of "loose" abrasive polishing steps that utilize diamond and alumina suspensions along with polishing cloths. The less aggressive nature of this method preserves the specimen's edge and produces ultra-flat results. This can be critical for analysis such as coating thickness measurements or samples that are examined near the specimen's edge. It is viewed by many that the "advanced" methods of preparation offer superior results and higher consistency when compared to traditional methods.
ADVANCED METHOD FOR PREPARING COPPER FOR METALLOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS
|
Step # | Abrasive | Surface | Lube |
Load/Sample |
RPM | Time |
1 | 180 or 240 Grit | CarbiPro SIC | Water | 5 lbs | 200 | Planar |
2 | 320 Grit | CarbiPro SiC | Water | 5 lbs | 200 | 2:00 |
3 | 9µm Diamond | MasterPlan Cloth |
Lubricant/Extender |
4 lbs | 150 | 5:00 |
4 | 3µm Alumina | UltraViolet Cloth | Lubricant/Extender | 4 lbs | 150 | 3:00 |
5* | FinalFloc Cloth | - | 4 lbs | 150 | 2:00 |
*For the final step, alternate between the alumina and ProPrep colloidal silica at 20 second intervals. Finish with a large dose of alumina when 0:30 seconds remain.
Note: Clean specimen by gently scrubbing the surface with a cotton ball under running water. Repeat until all alumina is removed. Use of an ultrasonic cleaner is highly recommended for samples with high porosity content or intricate geometries.
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Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension - 1 Gallon - 0.05 µm
Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension is an ideal water-based polishing agent for soft materials such as copper, aluminum, and lead. It comes in a 1-gall...
View full detailsAlumabrasive Alumina Suspension - 1 Gallon - 1 µm
Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension is an ideal water-based polishing agent for soft materials such as copper, aluminum, and lead. It comes in a 1-gall...
View full detailsAlumabrasive Alumina Suspension - 1 Gallon - 3 µm
Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension is an ideal water-based polishing agent for soft materials such as copper, aluminum, and lead. It comes in a 1-gall...
View full detailsAlumabrasive Alumina Suspension - 16 oz - 1 µm
Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension is an ideal water-based polishing agent for soft materials such as copper, aluminum, and lead. It comes in a 16oz c...
View full detailsAlumabrasive Alumina Suspension - 16 oz - 3 µm
Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension is an ideal water-based polishing agent for soft materials such as copper, aluminum, and lead. It comes in a 16oz c...
View full detailsAlumabrasive Alumina Suspension - 32 oz - 0.05 µm
Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension is an ideal water-based polishing agent for soft materials such as copper, aluminum, and lead. It comes in a 32oz c...
View full detailsAlumabrasive Alumina Suspension - 32 oz - 1 µm
Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension is an ideal water-based polishing agent for soft materials such as copper, aluminum, and lead. It comes in a 32oz c...
View full detailsAlumabrasive Alumina Suspension - 32 oz - 3 µm
Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension is an ideal water-based polishing agent for soft materials such as copper, aluminum, and lead. It comes in a 32oz c...
View full detailsAlumabrasive Alumina Suspension 1 Gallon
Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension is a specialized water-based polishing medium for soft materials such as copper, aluminum, and lead. Its high-visco...
View full detailsAlumabrasive Alumina Suspension 16oz
Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension is a specialized water-based polishing medium for soft materials such as copper, aluminum, and lead. Its high-visco...
View full detailsAlumabrasive Alumina Suspension 32oz
Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension is a specialized water-based polishing medium for soft materials such as copper, aluminum, and lead. Its high-visco...
View full detailsAlumabrasive Alumina Suspension 8oz
Alumabrasive Alumina Suspension is a specialized water-based polishing medium for soft materials such as copper, aluminum, and lead. Its high-visco...
View full detailsAlumaPro Polycrystalline Alumina Slurry 16 oz - 0.05 µm
AlumaPro Polycrystalline Alumina is an optimal polishing slurry for metallographic sample preparation, recommended for polishing of ferrous metals,...
View full detailsAlumaPro Polycrystalline Alumina Slurry 64 oz - 0.05 µm
AlumaPro Polycrystalline Alumina is an optimal polishing slurry for metallographic sample preparation, recommended for polishing of ferrous metals...
View full detailsAlumaPro Polycrystalline Alumina Slurry- 1 Gallon - 0.05 µm
AlumaPro Polycrystalline Alumina is an optimal polishing slurry for metallographic sample preparation, recommended for polishing of ferrous metals...
View full detailsAlumaPro Polycrystalline Alumina Slurry- 32 oz - 0.05 µm
AlumaPro Polycrystalline Alumina is an optimal polishing slurry for metallographic sample preparation, recommended for polishing of ferrous metals...
View full detailsCarbiPro SiC Grinding Paper Roll (3-7/16-in x 60-ft) - 400 grit
CarbiPro's Silicon Carbide abrasive grinding paper is ideal for metallurgical grinding of a host of materials. This roll-form C-weight paper has a ...
View full detailsCarbiPro SiC Grinding Paper Roll (3-7/16-in x 60-ft) - 600 grit
CarbiPro's Silicon Carbide abrasive grinding paper is ideal for metallurgical grinding of a host of materials. This roll-form C-weight paper has a ...
View full detailsCarbiPro SiC Grinding Paper Roll (3-7/16-in x 75-ft) - 1200 grit
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View full detailsCarbiPro SiC Grinding Paper Roll (3-7/16-in x 75-ft) - 800 grit
CarbiPro's Silicon Carbide abrasive grinding paper is ideal for metallurgical grinding of a host of materials. This roll-form C-weight paper has a...
View full detailsCarbonMount Conductive Mounting Resin Powder - Graphite-Filled 5 lb
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View full detailsChemPro Polishing Cloth, 10in (254mm), Magnetic Rubber Back
ChemPro is a dense, porous, non-woven cloth designed for high-performance materials preparation. With its fine, porous polyurethane surface, ChemPr...
View full detailsChemPro Polishing Cloth, 10in (254mm), Magnetic Steel Back
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View full detailsChemPro Polishing Cloth, 10in (254mm), PSA
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View full detailsChemPro Polishing Cloth, 12in (305mm), Magnetic Rubber Back
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View full detailsChemPro Polishing Cloth, 12in (305mm), Magnetic Steel Back
ChemPro is a dense, porous, non-woven cloth designed for high-performance materials preparation. With its fine, porous polyurethane surface, ChemPr...
View full detailsChemPro Polishing Cloth, 12in (305mm), PSA
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View full detailsChemPro Polishing Cloth, 8in (203mm), Magnetic Rubber Back
ChemPro is a dense, porous, non-woven cloth designed for high-performance materials preparation. With its fine, porous polyurethane surface, ChemPr...
View full detailsChemPro Polishing Cloth, 8in (203mm), Magnetic Steel Back
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View full detailsChemPro Polishing Cloth, 8in (203mm), PSA
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View full detailsDiabrasive Choice Diamond Suspension, 1 micron, 1 Gallon, High Viscosity
Diabrasive Choice is a Monocrystalline diamond suspension that provides good material removal rates on a wide range of materials. Use in combinati...
View full detailsDiabrasive Choice Diamond Suspension, 1 micron, 1 Gallon, Low Viscosity
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View full detailsDiabrasive Choice Diamond Suspension, 1 micron, 16oz, High Viscosity
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View full detailsDiabrasive Choice Monocrystalline Diamond Suspension - ALL SIZES
Diabrasive Choice Monocrystalline Diamond Suspensions are an excellent solution for polishing of your metallographic specimens. Water soluble for e...
View full detailsDiabrasive Choice, Mono, 3µm, 1 Gal, HV
Diabrasive Choice is a Monocrystalline diamond suspension that provides good material removal rates with minimal subsurface deformation. Use in ...
View full detailsDiabrasive Choice, Mono, 3µm, 1 Gal, LV
Diabrasive Choice is a Monocrystalline diamond suspension that provides good material removal rates with minimal subsurface deformation. Use in ...
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