This equipment will be used in materials research to analyze the microstructural features of materials. The equipment provides rapid information on the materials structure in a digitized format permitting in-depth analysis. Examples of research that would benefit from the availability of this equipment include studies of mechanisms of fatigue microcrack initiation and growth, advanced materials processing, and cavitation in superplastically deformed materials. The generic goal in these research programs is to relate the materials structure to properties and performance. The equipment aids in gathering valuable statistics relating microstructure to fatigue damage, cavitation and atomization.
