Deep etching

Significant etching of metal cuts (e.g. 10 minutes with 10% alcoholic HCl).

After this treatment, the desired structural constituents protrude plastically and can be precisely identified with the scanning electron microscope. By means of deep etching it is possible, for example, to get a deep insight in the spatial structure of graphite, and to demonstrate that different forms of carbon (see Graphite form) are uniquely made of hexagonal graphite plates. Examples are given in Figures 1 to 4

.

 

Additional references:
Etching agent
Sulphur print

  • Figure 1: D graphite, not etched, optical microscope, 500:1
  • Figure 2: D graphite, deep etched, dendrite package completely dissolved, 650:1
  • Figure 3: equal to figure 2, 1500:1
  • Figure 4: equal to figure 2, 2500:1