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Vacuum
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a b s t r a c t
Keywords: Different electron beam based techniques such us SEM/EDS and AES are very similar with regard to their
SEM/EDS imaging capabilities, but there are significant differences in the compositional information they can
AES
provide about the sample. In order to determine the usefulness of a technique for the identification of
Inclusions
Spring steel
inclusions in spring steel the SEM/AES analysis techniques were used and are shown to be well suited for
characterizing of these inclusions. From the results it was possible to evaluate the nature of inclusions,
their location, size and chemical composition. It is evident from this study that applications of different
techniques in inclusion determination are more representative and reflect inclusion size distribution in
sample more objectively.
Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
0042-207X/$ e see front matter Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.vacuum.2011.09.015
A. Bytyqi et al. / Vacuum 86 (2012) 648e651 649
Fig. 1. Scanning electron microscope image of a complex, non-metallic inclusion taken by secondary electrons.
Table 2
Semi-quantitative chemical analysis of inclusion in studied spring steel 51CrV4 (At %).
Elements C O Mg Al Si S K Ca Cr Mn Fe Cu Br Total
Spectrum 1 1.43 e 0.46 e e 23.00 e 1.28 0.58 44.35 27.79 1.11 e 100.0
Spectrum 2 2.61 e 0.70 e e 33.63 e 1.64 e 53.38 6.55 e 1.50 100.0
Spectrum 3 1.22 46.85 12.60 33.64 e e e e e 0.50 5.19 e e 100.0
Spectrum 4 1.62 37.01 6.55 29.02 e 8.01 e 0.48 e 11.45 5.86 e e 100.0
Spectrum 5 e 46.44 12.29 34.77 e e 0.23 e e 0.65 5.63 e e 100.0
Spectrum 6 8.37 42.47 3.97 24.22 e 5.17 0.67 0.40 0.38 6.91 7.45 e e 100.0
Spectrum 7 2.24 e e e 0.51 e e e 1.46 1.27 94.53 e e 100.0
650 A. Bytyqi et al. / Vacuum 86 (2012) 648e651
Fig. 2. (a) SAM image of an inclusion in spring steel 51CrV4; (b) AES spectra at positions P1eP3.
Fig. 3. (a) SEM image of an inclusion in spring steel 50CrV4; (b) AES spectra at positions P1eP2.
A. Bytyqi et al. / Vacuum 86 (2012) 648e651 651
the defect, a strong Auger signal of the inclusion can be obtained. sulfur and manganese enrichment in the non-metallic inclusions.
Auger point analysis done prior to mapping indicates that the The majority of the inclusions found in spring steel contain
inclusion consist of manganese sulfide (MnS). AES spectra at manganese sulphide (MnS), and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) or
positions P1eP2 indicate the sulfur and manganese enrichment a mixture of these. According to the results there is no single ideal
in the inclusion composition. The two points have different method to measure steel purity, so it is best to couple several
concentrations of Mn and S but both contain Fe. A better picture methods together to give a more accurate evaluation.
of the qualitative elemental distribution in the outermost layer of
the inclusion is given by Auger maps in Fig. 3. Elongated inclu- References
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4. Conclusions
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