Pitting is the most common corrosion attack on aluminum alloy products. This chapter explains why pitting occurs and how it appears in different types of aluminum. It discusses pitting rates, pitting potentials, and pitting resistance as well as testing and prevention methods. It also discusses the problem of crevice corrosion and how it is influenced by crevice geometry and operating environment. The discussion covers the most common forms of crevice corrosion, including water staining, poultice corrosion, and filiform corrosion, along with related testing and prevention methods.

This chapter discusses the important aspects that a metallographer should understand in order to effectively reveal a microstructure. It begins by exploring etching response and how it can be a tool for revealing various microstructural features. The next part of the chapter discusses methods for revealing microstructure in the as-polished (unetched) specimen, then guidelines for selecting and using etchants when needed. The chapter discusses different types of etchants in terms of their ingredients, etching procedure, and major uses. The etchants discussed include basic etchants (nital and picral and their variations) and tint etchants for carbon and low-alloy steels and cast irons, and basic etchants for stainless steels. Finally, information is provided on different illumination methods (differential interference contrast and dark-field illumination) that can be used to highlight certain features in microstructures.

This appendix contains tables that list the composition and capabilities of etchants that reveal the microstructure of metals and alloys, including aluminum, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, magnesium, molybdenum, nickel, niobium, palladium, platinum, radioactive metals, rare earth metals, rhenium, rhodium, selenium, tellurium, silicon, silver, tantalum, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, and zinc, as well as carbides, oxides, and nitrides.

The analysis of composite materials using optical microscopy is a process that can be made easy and efficient with only a few contrast methods and preparation techniques. This chapter is intended to provide information that will help an investigator select the appropriate microscopy technique for the specific analysis objectives with a given composite material. The chapter opens with a discussion of macrophotography and microscope alignment, and then goes on to describe various illumination techniques that are useful for specific analysis requirements. These techniques include bright-field illumination, dark-field illumination, polarized-light microscopy, interference and contrast microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy. The chapter also provides a discussion of sample preparation materials such as dyes, etchants, and stains for the analysis of composite materials using optical microscopy.

This chapter explains how to achieve accurate, sharp delineation of the microstructure of metals using appropriate etching and contrasting techniques. It covers a variety of methods, including chemical etching, heat tinting, gas contrasting, vapor deposition, magnetic etching, ion bombardment, and dislocation etch pitting.

This chapter discusses corrosion prevention methods used with aluminum and its alloys. The methods range from relatively straightforward measures, such as proper handling and storage, to advanced early warning corrosion monitoring systems for military aircraft. The chapter summarizes the basic factors that influence design for corrosion resistance and discusses the use of conversion coatings, organic coatings, porcelain enameling, and electroplating. It also discusses corrosion monitoring methods used in chemical processing and refining industries.

This chapter deals with the technology of stainless steel as it pertains to its proper use in architecture, art, and construction. It begins with an overview of the corrosion resistance of stainless steel, providing guidelines for balancing corrosion resistance, processing characteristics, and economy. This is followed by sections describing the influence of surface finish on corrosion resistance of stainless steel and reviewing some of the factors pertinent to balancing service environment, design requirements, and maintenance considerations. The chapter then discusses the various factors pertinent to important considerations in buildings, namely surface finish aesthetics, flatness, maintenance, repair, fabrication, and service considerations. It ends with a section providing information on concrete reinforcing bar.

This chapter describes the properties and attributes of various classes of metalworking lubricants, including mineral oils; natural oils, fats, derivatives, and soaps; synthetic fluids (olefins, esters, polyglycols, ionic liquids); compounded lubricants (oils, greases, fats); aqueous lubricants (emulsions, synthetics, solutions); and a wide range of coatings and carriers. It also discusses solid-film lubricants (oxide films, polymer films, layer-lattice compounds) and environmental and safety concerns.

This chapter explains how to prepare material samples for optical microscopy, the most common method for characterizing the microstructure of cast iron and steel. It provides information on sectioning, mounting, polishing, etching, and recording. It describes the nature of surface roughness, the factors that contribute to it, and its effect on image quality. It discusses the use of fixturing and holding devices, includes photographic examples of polishing defects and drying marks, and provides an overview of micrographic etchants and the features they reveal. It also describes the steps involved in replicating part surfaces.

This chapter explains how to safely prepare beryllium alloy samples for metallographic analysis. It describes grinding, polishing, and etching procedures in detail. It also discusses the identification of major and minor constituents and the general appearance of beryllium microstructure.

This chapter describes the attributes of aluminum products that are critical for key structural applications. It covers the selection criteria and evaluations performed by the aluminum supplier or customer: physical attributes, mechanical properties (tensile, fracture, and fatigue), and corrosion.

This chapter examines the early literature on stainless steel to gain an understanding of the state-of-the-art of stainless steel as it progressed through the first 37 years after the discoveries made in Sheffield and Essen.

This chapter discusses the practices and procedures used to reveal and record macrostructural features such as hardening depth, weld thickness, crack size, porosity, hot folds, and machining and tooling marks. It provides information on sectioning, sample location, orientation, surface grinding, and etching. It describes macrographic etchants and the features they reveal along with common etching problems and how to avoid them. It explains how to evaluate etching results and how they can be improved using remedial processes such as light grinding. It also discusses photographic reproduction, lighting, and image enhancement techniques.

This chapter describes the origins of solders and soldering, covering the composition of solders and applications of soldering.

This chapter describes the methods and equipment applicable to metallographic studies and discusses the preparation of specimens for examination by light optical microscopy. Five major operations for preparation of metallographic specimens are discussed: sectioning, mounting, grinding, polishing, and etching. The discussion covers their basic principles, advantages, types, and applications, as well as the equipment setup. The chapter includes tables that list etchants used for microscopic examination. It also provides information on microscopic examination, microphotography, and the effects of grain size on the structural properties of the material.

Rolling is unique in that it cannot be conducted without friction. Friction draws the workpiece into the roll gap and facilitates its passage through the deformation zone. This chapter provides an overview of the mechanics and tribology of flat rolling processes and explains how various aspects of the theory apply to shape rolling as well. It derives numerous equations and models to help quantify the forces, torque, and power involved in rolling operations and the associated heating, slip, strain distribution, and deformation in both the workpiece and rolls. It describes the friction and wear that occur in hot and cold rolling under hydrodynamic and mixed-film lubrication; the influence of viscosity, film thickness, rolling speed, interface pressure, pass reduction, and lubricant breakdown; and the effect of surface finish and defects. The chapter also provides best practices for evaluating, applying, and treating lubricants for industrially important materials including iron-base, nickel-base, and aluminum alloys.