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Introduction to Metallography

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Metallography in Archaeology and Art

Part of the book series: Cultural Heritage Science ((CUHESC))

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Abstract

Metallography is essentially the science of the internal structure of metallic materials, broadly understood to include the examination and identification of grains, phases or interfaces and crystal orientations of a metal, as well as its non-metallic inclusions and voids, corrosion crusts and patinas. The technique traditionally relies on the sampling of an object to remove a representative sample, which is then mounted, ground, polished and etched for examination of the microstructure under the optical microscope. This principle procedural method is still valid, but there has been a drastic change over the decades from exclusively optically microscopical examination of microstructure to methods based on electron and ion beams or X-rays. In recent years, we have seen the emergence of new powerful techniques such as electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), which are capable of identifying and characterizing quantitatively all microstructural components by automated high-speed pattern acquisition (see Chap. 3). Hence, metallography is not confined merely to microscopical examination but also comprises methods to reveal structure and mechanical properties of metals and alloys.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Art History, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    David A. Scott

  2. Curt Engelhorn Centre for Archaeometry, Mannheim, Germany

    Roland Schwab

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  1. David A. Scott
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  2. Roland Schwab
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Scott, D.A., Schwab, R. (2019). Introduction to Metallography. In: Metallography in Archaeology and Art. Cultural Heritage Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11265-3_1

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