Cairo University Experimentation

Faculty of Engineering MDPN414

Credit Hours System

LAB REPORT
Crystallography
1.1Executive Summary:
Presently, our group is writing how to test a material to know many properties about its
mechanical, chemical,…etc. properties in order to know how to deal with this material in the
future and as a mechanical designer engineers how to know the criteria of selection these
materials while facing the designing issues. So in this report we deal with cast iron from grinding
the material to polishing and examining the material under the telescope, at the end of the
experiment we took picture for these material so without further to do this report will illustrate
each process.
Table of Contents
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2) Introduction
2.1) Cast Iron
Cast iron is a group of iron-carbon alloys with a carbon content greater than 2%.Its usefulness
derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloy constituents affect its color when
fractured: white cast iron has carbide impurities which allow cracks to pass straight through, grey
cast iron has graphite flakes which deflect a passing crack and initiate countless new cracks as
the material breaks, and ductile cast iron has spherical graphite "nodules" which stop the crack
from further progressing.
Cast iron tends to be brittle, except for malleable cast irons. With its relatively low melting point,
good fluidity, castability, excellent machinability, resistance to deformation and wear resistance,
cast irons have become an engineering material with a wide range of applications and are used
in pipes, machines and automotive industry parts, such as cylinder heads (declining usage),
cylinder blocksand and gearbox cases (declining usage). It is resistant to destruction and
weakening by oxidation.

Figure 1: Gearbox case and cylinder head

2.2)Production
Cast iron is made from pig iron, which is the product of smelting iron ore in a blast furnace. Cast
iron can be made directly from the molten pig iron or by re-melting pig iron, often along with
substantial quantities of iron, steel, limestone, carbon (coke) and taking various steps to remove
undesirable contaminants. Phosphorus and sulfur may be burnt out of the molten iron, but this
also burns out the carbon, which must be replaced. Depending on the application, carbon and
silicon content are adjusted to the desired levels, which may be anywhere from 2–3.5% and 1–
3%, respectively. If desired, other elements are then added to the melt before the final form is
produced by casting.
Cast iron is sometimes melted in a special type of blast furnace known as a cupola, but in
modern applications, it is more often melted in electric induction furnaces or electric arc
furnaces. After melting is complete, the molten cast iron is poured into a holding furnace or
ladle.

Figure 2: Blast furnace

Types and comparison of cast iron

Crystallography
Crystallography is the science that examines crystals, which can be found everywhere in nature—
from salt to snowflakes to gemstones. Crystallographers use the properties and inner structures of
crystals to determine the arrangement of atoms and generate knowledge that is used by chemists,
physicists, biologists, and others. Within the past century, crystallography has been a primary force
in driving major advances in the detailed understanding of materials, synthetic chemistry, the
understanding of basic principles of biological processes, genetics, and has contributed to major
advances in the development of drugs for numerous diseases. As a science, crystallography has
produced 28 Nobel Prizes, more than any other scientific field.
Crystallographers use X-ray, neutron, and electron diffraction techniques to identify and characterize
solid materials. They commonly bring in information from other analytical techniques, including X-
ray fluorescence, spectroscopic techniques, microscopic imaging, and computer modeling and
visualization to construct detailed models of the atomic arrangements in solids. This provides
valuable information on a material's chemical makeup, polymorphic form, defects or disorder, and
electronic properties. It also sheds light on how solids perform under temperature, pressure, and
stress conditions.

Polishing machine
 Variable speeds 100 rpm – 800rpm
 High torque PMDC motor with D. C. Drive
 Water in a Drain
 Corrosion resistant fiber reinforced cover
 8 Inch disc
This equipment is used to polish the specimen after rough grinding with the help of polishing
clothe.
Etching process
Etching is traditionally the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected
parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio (incised) in the metal. In modern
manufacturing, other chemicals may be used on other types of material.
Safety is very important when etching. Be sure to wear the appropriate protective clothing and
observe all WARNINGS on chemical manufacturers.
Etching process takes place after polishing to vanish the grain boundaries to show the crystal
structure of the metal using nitric acid (HNO3).

Observation after etching

The specimen was etched more than usual so grain boundaries wasn’t properly observed so
determining the characteristic of the metal would be harder.

Figure 3 Cast iron specimen etched more than usual

What should be observed
In this specimen the etching process was more proper to easily visualize the grain boundaries to
ease the study of cast iron crystallography.

Figure 4 Cast iron specimen normally etched under high magnification

Conclusion:
All in all we have succeeded in completing the experiment of the material testing which was
very important for the cast iron to know the properties of this material as it enters in many
mechanical elements, structures and bodies. We began the experiment by grinding the sample
several times using the specified machine mentioned earlier in this report then we polish the
material and etch it using nitric acid and each time we examine the specimen under the
microscope. As our group discovered the properties that were written in handbooks were
verified experimentally.