Surface analysis
Thanks to our trained and experienced professional personnel and our modern technology, Horn & Co. is happy to support you in characterising materials and finding the causes of damage. Our analyses can help with the following, for instance, depending on the specific application:
- identifying minute inclusions, cracks or other faults in a workpiece and analysing their components,
- inspecting very thin layer systems or minute particles and
- visualising and assessing the structure of steel, ceramics or shaped fire-resistant products, for instance
Our surface analysis services:
Imaging processes
- High-resolution images of a surface (structures, inclusions, layer systems, broken areas, cracks) or very small particles at very high zooms using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or light microscope
- Visualizing objects in the micro to nanometre range
Determining the elemental composition of a surface
- Qualitative and semi-quantitative elemental analysis of large surface areas using wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDs)
- High-resolution qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis in the micrometre range of surfaces using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) combination with the scanning electron microscope (SEM),
- Determining the composition of inclusions, faults or layer systems
- Determining the elemental distribution of selected surface areas (mapping)
Material testing
- Adhesion testing
- Cross-cut adhesive testing
- Scratch and writing resistance testing
- Surface resistance to care processes
- Hand perspiration testing
- Chrome-VI freedom of coatings
- Further testing upon request
Metallography/damage analysis
- Coating thickness measurement (through grinding and coulometric)
- Step test
- Testing for micropores and micro-cracks
- Structure
- Adhesion testing
- Dezincification testing
- Stress crack corrosion test
- Further testing upon request
Realistic product corrosion and climatic testing
- Corrosion cycle testing
- Climate change cycle testing
- Climate testing
- Salt spray test
- CASS test
- Kesternich test
- Russian mud test
- Further testing upon request
If you have any questions on these analyses, please contact our laboratory team at: anfrage-analytics@horn-co.de