ASTM_E_1180_-_08_2014.pdf

Designation:E118008(Reapproved 2014)Standard Practice forPreparing Sulfur Prints for Macrostructural Evaluation1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1180;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This practice provides information required to preparesulfur prints(also referred to as Baumann Prints)of mostferrous alloys to reveal the distribution of sulfide inclusions.1.2 The sulfur print reveals the distribution of sulfides insteels with bulk sulfur contents between about 0.010 and 0.40weight percent.1.3 Certain steels contain complex sulfides that do notrespond to the test solutions,for example,steels containingtitanium sulfides or chromium sulfides.1.4 The sulfur print test is a qualitative test.The density ofthe print image should not be used to assess the sulfur contentof a steel.Under carefully controlled conditions,it is possibleto compare print image intensities if the images are formedonly by manganese sulfides.1.5 The sulfur print image will reveal details of the solidi-fication pattern or metal flow from hot or cold working onappropriately chosen and prepared test specimens.1.6 This practice does not address acceptance criteria basedon the use of the method.1.7 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded asstandard.No other units of measurement are included in thisstandard.1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.For specificprecautionary statements,see Section 9.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2E3 Guide for Preparation of Metallographic SpecimensE7 Terminology Relating to MetallographyE340 Test Method for Macroetching Metals and AlloysE381 Method of Macroetch Testing Steel Bars,Billets,Blooms,and ForgingsE407 Practice for Microetching Metals and Alloys3.Terminology3.1 DefinitionsFor definitions of terms used in thispractice,see Terminology E7.4.Summary of Practice4.1 The sulfur print provides a means for macroscopicevaluation of the sulfur distribution in steels and cast irons bycontact printing using photographic paper soaked in an aque-ous acid solution,for example,sulfuric acid,citric acid,oracetic acid.4.2 The test specimen is usually a disk or rectangularsection,such as used in macroetch evaluations,cut from anas-cast or wrought specimen with either a transverse orlongitudinal orientation.The specimen is freshly groundsmooth and cleaned to remove cutting oils,scale,abrasives,orother contaminants.The specimen should be at room tempera-ture when sulfur printed.4.3 A sheet of photographic paper with(usually)a mattesurface finish of appropriate size is soaked in the diluteaqueous acid solution,any excess liquid removed,and theemulsion side of the paper is placed on the ground surface ofthe specimen.After a suitable time,the paper is removed,washed in water,fixed,washed again in water,and dried as flatas possible.4.4 The distribution of sulfur in the specimen is revealed asa mirror image on the photographic paper as darkly coloredareas of silver sulfide embedded in the emulsion.5.Significance and Use5.1 The sulfur print reveals the distribution of sulfur assulfide inclusions in the specimen.The sulfur print comple-ments macroetch methods by providing an additional proce-dure for evaluating the homogeneity of a steel product.5.2 Sulfur prints of as-cast specimens generally reveal thesolidification pattern and may be used to assess the nature ofdeoxidation,that is,rimming action versus killed steel sulfurdistributions.1This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E04 on Metallog-raphy and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E04.01 on SpecimenPreparation.Current edition approved Oct.1,2014.Published December 2014.Originallyapproved in 1987.Last previous edition approved in 2008 as E1180 08.DOI:10.1520/E1180-08R14.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 5.3 Sulfur prints will reveal segregation patterns,includingrefilled cracks,and may reveal certain physical irregularities,for example,porosity or cracking.5.4 The nature of metal flow,such as in various forgingoperations,can be revealed using sulfur prints of specimens cutparallel to the metal flow direction.5.5 The sulfur print method is suitable for process control,research and development studies,failure