Metals and Alloys
Building the future with stronger, tougher, lighter and sustainable metals and alloys
Metals and alloys is a key research topic around most academic materials science programs. Imagine being able to engineer microstructure and thus enhance mechanical, thermal and electrical properties. You will be able to use precise control of the grain size, engineer grain boundaries and precipitates, control the presence of defects such as inclusions or voids. You will achieve remarkable improvements in the properties of traditional metals and alloys and thus create more useful materials.
Create understanding from macro- to nano
That is why detailed knowledge over multiple length scales is a prerequisite for metals researchers. Metals and alloys are characterized by features ranging from a macro- over micro- to nanoscales. Think of surface roughness, pits, cracks; grains with their different sizes, crystallographic orientations and morphologies; metals’ and alloys’ texture, twinning, voids, inclusions and precipitates at the 10 – 100 micrometer range; and ultimately nanoscale features such as dislocations, nano-precipitates, lattice defects, crack initiation sites or nano-crystalline grain features. All of them are important to understand – and this requires microscopic characterization techniques which cover all those length scales and seamlessly integrate multi-modal, multi-scale techniques.
Combine information from different modalities and scales
With ZEISS Research Microscopy Solutions you are enabled to capture all crucial details that are necessary to understanding metals and alloys and all mechanisms that contribute to strength, toughness and other properties. Take advantage of using light, X-ray and electron microscopes together with software tailored to multi-modal experiments. Make the most of correlative approaches. Combine information gathered from various modalities at different length scales and acquire comprehensive information for a given material system.
Schematic Overview
In the image below, click on the blue dots to enlarge each application image.

Macroscale Features
Understanding the interdependencies of macro-, micro- and nanostructure
Effectively characterize material at the macroscale and gain insights related to geometric defects, surface roughness, cracks, voids and inclusions. Use a combination of ZEISS light and X-ray microscopes (XRM). While light microscopy provides rapid information from the surface over a wide area, X-ray methods enable peering into the sub-surface non-destructively and deliver three-dimensional information on complex microstructural features. Generate a deep understanding of metals samples using light microscopy contrasts including brightfield, darkfield and polarization.
Capture the microstructural information in 3D in a single snapshot with ZEISS XRMs.
- Investigate new-age manufacturing methods, more precisely 3D printing materials, where structural parts with an ever-increasing structural complexity are being produced.
- Characterize specimens in 3D at the nanoscale and benefit from XRMs providing you with information on nanoprecipitates or eutectic microstructures.
- Unlock crystallographic secrets. Non-destructive 3D crystallographic grain characterization is possible with advances in diffraction contrast tomography delivering information on grain size, crystallographic orientation and morphology.
Investigate macroscale surface features
Gain deeper insights non-destructively and in 3D on micro- and nanoscale features
From Micro- to Nanoscale
Comprehensive characterization with a scanning electron microscope
Think of the possibilities it would open if you found a solution to characterize materials from micro- to nanometer with one instrument. You would be able to set up a workflow for root cause analysis enabling you to study the relationship between microstructure and fracture resistance or understand structural failures of critical parts. You could determine fracture modes and analyze crack propagation. What if you could analyze the chemical composition of precipitates and inclusions in detail over multiple length scales; describe grain characteristics including size, crystal orientation, shape, boundaries, and phase distribution; understand deformation behavior of metals and alloys? And, finally, modify the materials processing route and chemistries and fine tune their properties and performance? In fact, scanning electron microscopes (SEM) and their accessories have become an integral part of the materials characterization workflow. To many researchers the SEM is the go-to instrument, the “Swiss-knife“.
Assess Grain Characteristics and Deformation Behavior
Investigate grains, inclusions or precipitates, gain essential information on morphology and qualitative and quantitative chemical composition of metals and alloys, and understand their fracture properties.
Combine a variety of imaging modalities with analytical capabilities using an SEM. Readily obtain critical information on the topography and morphology, on micro- and nanostructure, on the chemical makeup, crystallographic and phase identification. Easily discern crystal defects, orientations, and sub-grain information such as twinning and slip band formations. Use a highly sophisticated electron optical column designed for high resolution, surface sensitive imaging and capable of performing powerful analytics.
- For the characterization of surface fractures at micro- and nanoscales take advantage of gaining unique information from secondary and backscatter electron detectors that deliver exceptional topographical and compositional contrasts.
- Expand the imaging capabilities of your SEM with an in situ lab: link microstructure to performance and observe metals during deformation and heating.
High-resolution, high-contrast imaging aids microstructural observations
Broaden opportunities at the Mesoscale
Machine nano-, micro- or meso-scale structures and enhance high-resolution sub-surface microstructural characterization
Investigating metals and alloys down to the level of individual atomic arrangements while keeping the full context over a scale of millimeters is critical. Only the combination of both, overview over millimeter- and detailed insight into micro- or nanometer-scaled areas, enables you to understand the linkage between structure and properties. This is the point where it becomes necessary to add the meso-scale to your workflow. When you seek to understand properties at the nanoscale, when you want to prepare minute devices like atom probe tips or ultra-thin TEM lamellae, when it is your objective to precisely target a unique void, a precipitate located along a certain grain boundary, or the region around a crack tip you will need a precision tool that is tailored for advanced imaging and sample manipulation. Site-specific characterization below the surface plus fast and precise material removal combined with high resolution imaging and a seamless workflow is what you need.
ZEISS FIB-SEMs (focused ion beam scanning electron microscopes) unite the high resolution imaging ability of an SEM with the ability to prepare samples.
- Perform precise serial milling or sectioning to reveal the sub-surface features or produce 3D nanotomography datasets.
- Access the meso-scale regime by equipping your ZEISS FIB-SEM with a device tailored for massive material ablation or for the preparation of extremely large sections, a femto-second laser.
- Combining this LaserFIB from ZEISS with EDS or EBSD, allows for 3D multi-modal nanotomography, giving you the best of sample preparation at high throughput, and advanced imaging and analytics – an extremely powerful combination for the investigation of grains, precipitates, fractures, corrosion, or thermal and electrical properties.
Rapidly produce samples to characterize metals and alloys from meso- to nano scale
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Get in touch with us to learn more about the ZEISS microscopy solutions portfolio for engineering materials research. Get insights on your specific research challenges or facility, book a demo at our customer center, or get a quote. We are looking forward to hearing from you.