Abstract

The optical microscopy is a traditional, very important tool for the study of materials, in particular of metallic alloys. Even though electron microscopy techniques have evolved to forms increasingly more sophisticated, optical microscopy remains as a tool indicated for the study of a broad spectrum of topics linked to the physical metallurgy, such as solidification, phase transformations products, grain structures, fracture, among others. The most important application of light microscopy is the determination of the structural phases present and the constitution of the bulk of the metal. These observations are of practical importance because the structure and constitution have a strong influence on the behavior of the material.
In this work, we present numerous examples of optical microscopy applied to the study of metallic alloys. In particular, the phase transformations taking place in Cu-based shape memory alloys, and the analysis of structures formed during directional solidification of dilute alloys. In all the cases, the specimens were carefully prepared for optical examination in a Reichert MeF2 Optical Microscope, with a photographic system put on. The studied alloys and the metallographic procedures are mentioned opportunely.