The term cold mounting covers all mounting methods that do not require the use of a hot mounting press. To create a optimal cold-mounted specimen, consider the following:
- The specimen must not be affected or corroded by the resin selected for cold mounting
- The specimen must be able to withstand the peak temperature of the mounting system.
- To prevent gap formation, the specimen surface must be free of dust and grease before mounting, so that the specimen can be well wetted with the mounting medium.
QPREP cold mounting resins are available on methyl methacrylate or MMA-free and epoxy based. Acrylate or MMA-free based cold mounting resins are characterized by good removal rate, short curing times and good chemical resistance. Epoxy resins are used for mounting of porous and temperaturesensitive materials. Furthermore, they are used when the lowest possible gap formation is intended.
How to cold mount with epoxy resin
How to cold mount with acrylic resin
KEM 15 plus
QPREP KEM 15 PLUS is a universally applicable two-component cold mounting material based on a modified polyester resin. Due to its very low shrinkage, it is particularly suitable for boundary layer investigations.
Product Advantages
- Very low shrinkage
- High edge retention
- Good chemical resistance
- Good mechanical machinability
- Easy dosage with enclosed measuring spoon
- Curing temperature : ca. 85-100 °C
- Curing time: ca. 25 min
- Hardness (Shore D): 85
- Removal rate: Very low
Recommended applications
- Edge examination
- Mounting of medium-hard to hard materials
- Curing by means of overpressure with pressure equipment possible, to minimize porosity and increase edge retention
KEM 20
QPREP KEM 20 is a universally applicable two-component cold mounting material based on a methyl methacrylate resin compound. Transparent mountings can be realized when curing under overpressure.
Product Advantages
- Feasibility of transparent mountings by means of pressure equipment
- Good chemical resistance
- Good mechanical machinability
- Easy dosage with enclosed measuring spoon
- Curing temperature : ca. 100-120 °C
- Curing time: ca. 15 min
- Hardness (Shore D): 84
- Removal rate: medium
Recommended applications
- Target preparations
- Mounting of soft to medium-hard materials
KEM 30
QPREP KEM 30 is a universal two-component cold mounting resin based on a methyl methacrylate resin compound. It is a fast curing resin, which is particularly suitable for high sample throughput.
Product Advantages
- Semi-transparent
- Good chemical resistance
- Good mechanical machinability
- Easy dosage with enclosed measuring spoon
- Curing temperature : ca. 95-110 °C
- Curing time: ca. 5 min
- Hardness (Shore D): 85
- Removal rate: medium
Recommended applications
- Routine testing with high sample throughput
- Mounting of soft to medium-hard materials
- Curing by means of overpressure with pressure equipment possible, to minimize porosity
KEM 35
QPREP KEM 35 is a universally applicable two-component cold mounting material based on a methyl methacrylate resin compound. Due to its very low shrinkage and hardness, it is particularly suitable for edge examination on materials with higher hardness.
Product Advantages
- Very low shrinkage
- High edge retention
- Very good mechanical machinability
- Easy dosage with enclosed measuring spoon
- Curing temperature : ca. 85-110 °C
- Curing time: ca. 12 min
- Hardness (Shore D): 87
- Removal rate: Very low
Recommended applications
- Edge examination
- Mounting of hard materials
- Curing by means of overpressure with pressure equipment possible, to minimize porosity and increase edge retention
KEM 60
QPREP KEM 60 is a universally applicable, mineral-filled, MMA-free two-component cold mounting resin. It is characterized by short curing time and good mechanical machinability.
Product Advantages
- Free of MMA
- Good chemical resistance
- Good mechanical machinability
- Curing temperature : ca. 95-110 °C
- Curing time: ca. 10 min
- Hardness (Shore D): 85
- Removal rate: low
Recommended applications
- Routine mountings
- Very wide range of application
- Curing by means of overpressure with pressure equipment possible, to minimize porosity
QPREP SEM 5000
Product Advantages
- Electroconductive
- Contains copper particles
- Curing temperature : 85 - 110 °C
- Curing time: 10 min
- Hardness (Shore D): 91
- Removal rate: Very low
Recommended applications
- Scanning electron microscopy
- Electrolytic polishing
QPOX 90
QPREP QPOX 90 is a transparent two-component cold mounting material based on an epoxy resin. Due to its good flowability, it is well suited for the pre-potting of specimens with filigree and complex geometries.
Product Advantages
- Good transparency
- Very low gap formation
- Low viscosity
- Suitable for vacuum infiltration
- Curing temperature : RT to approx. 50 °C
- Curing time: 16 - 24 hours
- Hardness (Shore D): 79
- Removal rate: high
Recommended applications
- Routine mountings
- Applicable for a wide range of materials
- Target preparations
- Infiltration of porous materials
- Pre-potting of assembled printed circuit boards to fix electronic components prior to cutting.
- Mounting of low hardness material
QPOX 92
QPREP QPOX 92 is a highly transparent two-component cold mounting material on epoxy resin. It is very well suited for specimens with filigree and complex geometries. In addition, QPOX 92 is particularly recommended for mounting materials with temperature sensitive surfaces and for target preparations.
Product Advantages
- Very good transparency
- Very low gap formation
- Low viscosity
- Suitable for vacuum infiltration
- Curing temperature : RT to approx. 35 °C
- Curing time: 12 - 13 hours (50% faster than QPOX 90)
- Hardness (Shore D): 81
- Removal rate: medium
Recommended applications
- Routine mountings
- Applicable for a wide range of materials
- Target preparations of defects in coating surfaces
- Infiltration of porous materials
- Pre-potting of assembled printed circuit boards to fix electronic components prior to cutting.
- Mounting of low hardness material
NEW: Qpox 93
In this video, you’ll discover the benefits Qpox 93 has to offer!
Qpox 93 is a low-viscosity and crystal-clear two-component cold mounting agent based on epoxy resin. Qpox 93 enables absolutely transparent and gap-free mounting and, with a curing time of around 8-12 hours, is also ideal for the preparation of routine samples. Free of solvents, DETA and CMR substances, it enables safer handling in everyday use, ideal for e.g. manual target preparations.
Product Advantages
- Excellent adhesion and very low gap formation
- Very good transparency
- Free from solvents, DETA and CMR substances
- Low-bubble mountings
- Low viscosity
- Suitable for vacuum infiltration
- Curing temperature: RT up to 45°C
- Curing time: 8 - 12 hours
- Hardness (Shore D): 81
- Removal rate: medium
Recommended applications
- Low-gap and transparent preparations
- Routine mountings
- Can be used for a wide range of materials
- Suitable for vacuum infiltration of coated surfaces, for example for defect investigation
- Pre- and partial potting as well as mounting and final preparation of assembled circuit boards
- For delicate and sensitive samples of more complex geometries and workpieces of low to medium hardness
Qpox 94
Epoxy resins comparison chart
Qpox 94 is a low-viscosity and transparent two-component epoxy-based cold mounting resin, ideal for samples with delicate and complex geometries. It is particularly suitable for sensitive and porous surfaces as well as target preparations. With a curing time of about 9 hours Qpox 94 allows transparent and gap-free mounting and preparation on the same day.
Product Advantages
- Excellent adhesion and very low gap formation
- Very good transparency
- Low-bubble mountings
- Low viscosity
- Suitable for vacuum infiltration
- Curing temperature: RT up to 45°C (Tmax = 100 to 140°C)
- Curing time: 9 h at RT (25% faster than Qpox 92), 3 h at 45°C
- Hardness (Shore D): 80
- Removal rate: High
Recommended applications
- Low-gap and transparent preparations on the same day
- Can be used for a wide range of materials
- For vacuum infiltration of porous materials and material surfaces, such as metal foams, porous ceramic support material or samples with corrosion layers
- Mountings and target preparations of assembled PCBs
- For filigree and sensitive specimens of more complex geometries and low-hardness workpieces
Qpox 96 Rapid
QPREP Qpox 96 Rapid is a fast-curing two-component epoxy resin from QATM. With a curing time of less than 4 hours, it allows sample preparation to be carried out within one day. Due to a maximum curing temperature of less than 120 °C, Qpox 96 Rapid is also suitable for heat-sensitive materials, such as assembled printed circuit boards. Due to its good hardness, low viscosity, good adhesion and transparency, it is ideal for routine target preparation of all types of samples. Designed with a focus on the EHS profile, it is free of DETA and CMR substances and enables safe and efficient materialographic preparation.
Product Advantages
- Excellent adhesion, very low gap formation
- Good transparency
- Free of DETA and CMR substances
- Very low viscosity, penetrates cracks and pores well
- Suitable for vacuum infiltration
- Curing temperature: at RT (23°C) up to ~120°C
- Curing time: ~2-4 h
- Hardness (Shore D): Up to 84
- Removal rate: Medium
Recommended applications
- Low-gap and transparent preparations
- Routine mountings, applicable to a wide range of materials
- Suitable for vacuum infiltration of coated surfaces (e.g. spray coatings), defect investigation
- Good crack and pore permeability enables mounting of (micro-)porous materials
- Partial potting, mounting and target preparation of assembled printed circuit boards in the shortest possible time
- Filigree/sensitive specimens of more complex geometries
Cold and UV mounting moulds
Choosing a cold mounting mould of the correct size and suitable material the result of the mounting can be optimized. QPREP offers a variety of reusable and chemically resistant moulds of different sizes and materials for this purpose.
Qmould Grey, without chamfer
- Two-piece design with practical handles and flexible material for easy removal and demoulding
- Compatible with epoxy resins, ideal for low-shrinkage resins like Qpox; alternative to silicone moulds
Qmould Clear, without chamfer
- High UV transparency for optimal curing of Qprep UV resins, suitable for UV and acrylic resins
- Handles facilitate sample placement; direct alternative to PP mounting moulds
Qmould White, without chamfer
- Durable design with resilient material and handles, ideal for high heat
- Cost-effective alternative to Teflon mounting moulds, suitable for polyester and acrylic resins
PTFE, beveled edge, round
- Very long service life and shape stability
- High strength, for particularly flat mountings
Silicone rubber, round or rectangular, beveled edge
- Flexibility of the material enables easy demoulding after curing
- Thick-walled mould, therefore, not recommended for light curing
- Without removable base
Polypropylene, without chamfer
- Semi-transparent, therefore suitable for light curing
- With removable base for easy demoulding after curing
Polyethylene, round, without chamfer
- Opaque, therefore, not recommended for light curing
- With removable base for easy demoulding after curing
Vacuum infiltration and pressure device
When cold mounting porous specimens it is purposeful to infiltrate them under vacuum, with a low viscosity mounting medium (epoxy resins). The QPREP infiltration device offers a solution for mounting under vacuum.
For transparent cold mounting using methyl methacrylate, these must be cured in a pressure device under positive pressure (2 - 2.5 bar). This increases the boiling point of the mounting material and suppresses the formation of gas bubbles during polymerization. The QPREP Pressure unit is best suited for this purpose.
Product Advantages
- Infiltration of porous materials
- Reinforcement of fragile materials
- Clear/transparent mounting possible with methyl methacrylate
Recommended applications
- Infiltration device for mounting porous samples with epoxy resin (Qpox 90 / 92 / 94)
- Pressure device for mounting with methyl methacrylate (KEM 15, 20, 30, 35, 60 and QPREP SEM 5000)
Accessories & tools for cold and UV mounting
Accessories
- Mixing beakers and spatulas
- Mounting utilities
- Dosing spoons
- Steel- and plastic clips
Perfect mounting – Instruments by QATM
Mounting is more reliable, safer and more efficient when performed with the right equipment: Knowledge, exercising care and the right choice of consumables and equipment are crucial.
Knowledge Base
If you would like to learn more about the different procedures, please visit our extensive Knowledge Base.
Our Knowledge Base article about mounting includes:
- Advantages of materialographic mounting
- The difference between cold and hot mounting
- How to avoid gap formation between mounting compound and sample
Products & Contact
QATM offers a wide range of innovative machines for metallographic sample preparation. Accompanying QATM accessories and consumables are thoroughly tested and selected for perfect interaction with our machines. Contact us for a consultation, quote or to talk to one of our dedicated application specialists!
