Metals form the backbone of our world. Metals are generally strong, but also deformable, which results in their use as structural materials in a range of applications. Metals are also good conductors of electricity, and are used as connection materials in microelectronic circuits. Often multiple elements are mixed to form an alloy, and these mixtures form compositions and phases that have improved properties compared to a pure metal. Metals are also shaped for different applications, and this processing affects both materials microstructure and properties.
EDAX provides tools to characterize both the chemical composition and crystallographic structure of metallic materials, which can be used in materials research and development, process development, quality control, and failure analysis applications. EDS can identify the phases that develop during the heat treatment of a steel alloy designed for pipeline applications to improve corrosion resistance, or monitor the composition of an alloy that is created during additive manufacturing to ensure consistent quality properties in the final build. EBSD can be used to improve the ductility of magnesium alloys to be used more frequently and economically in automotive applications, or identify the crystallographic texture that develops in a microelectronic device to improve the lifetime. This characterization information is necessary to ensure that metals provide the required properties for a given application, and to develop new metals for new applications and industries.
Additional Applications