PAG QT²

Newly developed etchant for visualizing the former austenite grain boundaries (Prior Austenite Grain boundaries) of quenched and tempered (+QT) non-alloyed and low-alloyed steels.

After well over 400 etching tests on a wide variety of samples, we are extremely satisfied with the “10.74” variant. The result is a cold etchant based on picric acid. Previously, it was always a cramp to etch on former gamma grain boundaries. Other etchants, such as Bechet-Beaujard, only worked from time to time, so frustration quickly arose here. That is over now.

You can now buy the etchant conveniently here in our online store.

The etching time for low-alloy steels from 16MnCr5 to 102Cr6 is approx. 2-5 minutes. Unalloyed steels such as an induction hardened C35 or C45 require – inexplicably for us – a somewhat longer etching time of about 15 minutes.

By the way, this etching is also excellent for making segregations and fiber courses visible.

Please contact us if you have any questions or problems.

Further information:

• A pdf file with example images of etching on various heat-treated unalloyed and low-alloyed steels, including etching instructions, can be found here.
• If you need more microstructural images of this or other etchants, feel free to take a look at our microstructure database.
• You can easily download a current safety data sheet here.