Quantitative microstructural analysis of Cu-C composites

Sintrani materiali imajo dokaj specifično mikrostrukturo, ki močno vpliva na njihove lastnosti. Med vplivne mikrostruktrne elemente teh materialov štejemo poroznost, velikost, obliko in porazdelitev komponent, ki jih sintramo, vrsto,lastnosti in delež posameznih mejnih površin in druge. Če želimo s sintranjem doseči tehnično uporabne izdelke morajo biti volumski delež in karakter posameznih mikrostrukturnih elementiv kontrolirani oz. optimirani. Od metod, ki omogočajo karakterizacijo mikrostrukture in spremljanje razvoja posameznih mikrostrukturnih elementov med izdelavo, sta zelo uporabni kvalitativna in kvantitativna mikroskopija. Predvsem kvantitativna mikroskopija , ki je sestavljena iz meritrv geometrijskih parametrov mikrostrukturnih elementov ter stereometrične analize, omogoča določitev odnosa med vplivnimi tehnološkimi parametri, mikrostrukturo in lastnostmi. V prispevku predstavljamo rezultate kvantitativne analize mikrostrukture kompozita Cu-C, nastale v različnih fazah izdelave. S spremljanjem velikosti, oblike in volumskega deleža posameznega mikrostrukturnega elementa smo spremljali tudi mikrostrukturo in iskali mehanizme procesov, ki v posamezni tehnološki fazi določajo njen razvoj.Sintered materials have a rather specific microstructure which affects their properties. The influential elements of the microstructure of those materials are porosity, size, form and distribution of sintered components, and the type, properties and fraction of interfaces, and other factors. The volume fraction and the structure of microstructural elements must be controlled and optimized during the sintering process in order to achieve the technical functionality of the product. The most widely used methods which permit microstructural characterization and identification of the microstructural development during the sintering process, are qualitative and quantitative microscopy. Quantitative microscopy, which consists of measurements of microstructure`s geometrical parameters and the stereometrical anqalysis, enables us to determine the relation between the influential parameters of the sintering process and the obtained microstructure. The microstructural development of the sintered Cu-C composite will be described by quantitative microstructural analysis with the objective of defining the influence of process parameters an the microstructural development and material properties. Special attention is paid to the size, shape and volume fraction of influential microstructural elements