Some Experiences in the Application of the Electron Microscope to the Study of Steels

Steel specimens have been examined with light and electron microscopes. The replica technique has been used for the electron microscope work, and all the specimens have been studied with both Formvar plastic and polystyrene-silica replicas. The micrographs are critically examined and compared. There is an obvious gain in picture sharpness in the electron micrographs, particularly in those from silica replicas. It is found, however, that interpretation of the micrographs from plastic replicas in terms of the geometry of the specimen surfaces is more straight-forward.