| A comparison was made between two electron backscattering pattern (EBSP) recording systems. A system utilizing a 35mm camera body in an Hitachi S2500 scanning electron microscope (SEM), incorporating film transfer and exposure control, proved far superior in providing high quality EBSP images to a commercial LINK system incorporating a phosphor screen, low light television camera, and SEMPER image processing software. Also, EBSPs have been used to determine the appropriate amount of electropolishing required to obtain strain free material in commercially pure aluminum. EBSP quality, known to deteriorate with increasing strain, was shown to visually improve with increasing electropolishing time. Next, EBSPs have been used to qualitatively examine strain in commercially pure aluminum as a function of distance away from a surface that has been damaged by mechanical grinding. Visual comparisons showed an improvement in pattern quality away from the damaged surface. Additionally, EBSPs have been used to qualitatively investigate strain in a ({dollar}rm Alsb2Osb3)sb{lcub}P{rcub}/6061{dollar} aluminum alloy metal matrix composite as a function of distance away from an ({dollar}rm Alsb2Osb3){dollar} particulate. The EBSP technique was found to be inappropriate due to the material's small grain size. |
