Microstructural and Surface Characterisation

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Analyse (parts of) technical reports and scientific papers that relate to microstructure and surface analysis.
• Make an assessment as to whether available data constitutes a definite identification of a phase / structure
• Appreciate the capabilities of different analysis techniques for characterising the microstructure and surface of materials and components.
• Depending on the selection of final assignment either to be able to operate an electron microscope or to analyse academic and technical literature containing electron microscopy and crystallography data.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Crystallography of crystalline materials
• The application of Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy, Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD), Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDX) and surface profilometry techniques to engineering materials.

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Recognize and assess the relevance of some of the common microstructural features in structural materials observed by optical microscopy, SEM, TEM, Surface Profilometry.
• Start hands-on training on use of microstructure analysis equipment that has been discussed in the lectures, including TEM, SEM, optical microscopy, EBSD, EDX, Surface Profilometry and use what is learned in the module to understand the principle of the working of the equipment.
• Select appropriate sample preparation techniques for optical microscopy, SEM, TEM, Surface Profilometry.

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Have an improved capability to learn following web-based, self-paced means.
• Contribute materials microstructure and surface characterisation knowledge as part of teams in most engineering industries.

The module consists of 10 sections. Sections 1 to 10 are taken by all students. To complete the module students select either section 11 or section 12.

Section 1 Overview.

Section 2 Optical Microscopy.

Section 3 Surface Optical Profilometry, AFM and Surface Chemical Analysis.

Section 4 Nano indentation.

Section 5 Scanning Electron Microscopy.

Section 6 Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Section 7 Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy.

Section 8 Crystallography and Electron diffraction.

Section 9 Electron Backscatter Diffraction.

Section 10 3D techniques: 3DAP, tomography.

Section 11 Electron microscopy laboratory.

Section 12 XPS, XRD, FIB and scientific report analysis.

Teaching methods include

• The module is predominantly self-paced. The module starts with a group meeting to introduce the module followed by 3 progress meetings.
• The main component of the teaching is web-based, through the 'Blackboard' package (http://blackboard.soton.ac.uk/). This provides the main text of the course, with additional teaching material in the form of links to relevant websites, and (links to) relevant research papers.
• For Section 11, students will do a supervised laboratory with access to electron microscopes.
• 2 revision lectures in the weeks prior to the exam to revise and review the material in the course.

Learning activities include

• Access to exam question bank.
• Revision questions set by lecturers which are intended for (small group) self-study.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.