Hot mounting is a process that involves compressing materialographic specimens in ground resin granules in a plane-parallel manner with the aid of a closed cylinder.
The hot mounting technique ensures high edge retention, provides an optimal edge protection. Due to the gap-free adhesion to the specimen surface it is particularly suitable for wet chemical etching after Polishing. With the Qpress 50 hot mounting press, even higher specimen throughputs can be efficiently hot mounted due to its modular design. For heat- or pressure-sensitive specimens, we recommend mounting using Qprep cold mounting media.
Benefits
- Good edge retention
- High degree of hardness of the mounting material
- High plane parallelism
- Easy sample marking by engraving or labelling
EPO black
QPREP EPO BLACK is a fine granular, epoxy resin based thermosetting hot mounting material. As a hot mounting medium that does not require labelling, it makes a significant contribution to improving safety in the laboratory.
Product Advantages
- Very low gap formation
- High edge sharpness and plane parallelism
- Contains a high filler content of glass and minerals for good machinability
- Hardness (Shore D): 93
- Removal rate: Very low
Recommended applications
- Routine mountings
- Edge examination
- Mounting of medium-hard to hard materials
EPO max
QPREP EPO MAX is an epoxy resin compound for hot mounting with high edge retention. It is optimized for low adhesion on mould and ram surfaces. EPO-MAX is currently our fastest hot mounting material!
Product Advantages
- Very low gap formation
- High edge sharpness and plane parallelism
- Easy Cleaning of mould and ram due to low adhesion
- Contains mineral filler
- Hardness (Shore D): 93
- Removal rate: Very low
Recommended applications
- Edge examination
- Mounting of medium-hard to very hard materials
Duroplast black
QPREP DUROPLAST BLACK is an electrically conductive hot mounting material. It is suitable for SEM examinations and electrolytic polishing.
Product Advantages
- Electroconductive
- Contains graphite particles
- Hardness (Shore D): 89
- Removal rate: medium
Recommended applications
- Scanning electron microscopy
- Electrolytic polishing
Thermoplast Clear
QPREP THERMOPLAST is a highly transparent hot mounting material consisting of acrylic resin.
Product Advantages
- High transparency
- Suitable for filling up and marking
- Hardness (Shore D): 86
- Removal rate: medium
Recommended applications
- Transparent mounting
- Ideal for target preparations and sensitive specimen
- Mounting of complex geometries and bulk solid materials
Thermoplast Bio
THERMOPLAST BIO is a dust-free and non-hazardous hot mounting compound based on PLA and wood flour. It is best suited for routine metallographic sample preparation. The uniform granulation allows clean and dust-free filling, thereby supporting a safe working environment in the laboratory.
Product Advantages
- Dust-free and safe to use
- Environmentally friendly alternative to conventional resins
- Cost-efficient due to low density → more mounts per kg
- Stable edge retention during preparation
- Good mechanical machinability
- Hardness (Shore D): 85
- Removal rate: medium
Recommended applications
- Routine mountings
- Suitable for materials with simple geometries and workpieces of low to medium hardness
Thermoplast Fill
THERMOPLAST FILL is a polypropylene‑based hot mounting compound, ideal for use as a filling material. It represents a cost‑efficient and safe alternative to conventional phenolic resins.The uniform granulation allows clean and dust‑free filling, thereby supporting a safe working environment in the laboratory.
Product Advantages
- Economical & efficient – cost‑effective filling material
- Good flow properties
- Completely dust‑free and label‑free
- Non‑hazardous & safe to use
Recommended applications
- Cost‑efficient filling material for mounting applications
- Alternative to conventional phenolic resins
Bakelit black
QPREP BAKELIT BLACK is an all-purpose hot mounting material. It is suitable for general materialographic applications.
Product Advantages
- Very convenient for filling in combination with other hot mounting material
- Contains wood flour and graphite
- Hardness (Shore D): 90
- Removal rate: medium
Recommended applications
- Routine mountings
- Core structure examinations
- Mounting of soft to medium-hard materials
Bakelit green
QPREP BAKELIT GREEN is an all-purpose hot mounting material. It is suitable for general materialographic applications.
Product Advantages
- Very convenient for filling in combination with other hot mounting material
- Suitable for color coding
- Contains wood flour
- Hardness (Shore D): 90
- Removal rate: medium
Recommended applications
- Routine mountings
- Core structure examinations
- Mounting of soft to medium-hard materials
Bakelit red
QPREP BAKELIT RED is an all-purpose hot mounting material. It is suitable for general materialographic applications.
Product Advantages
- Very convenient for filling in combination with other hot mounting material
- Suitable for color coding
- Contains wood flour
- Hardness (Shore D): 90
- Removal rate: medium
Recommended applications
- Routine mountings
- Core structure examinations
- Mounting of soft to medium-hard materials
Accessories & tools for hot mounting
Depending on the shape of the specimen to be mounted, the chosen hot mounting material, and the objectives of the materialographic preparation QPREP's wide range of accessories and tools ensures the best possible analysis results.
- Anti-stick silicone paste and spray to protect the mould and ram surfaces
- Various clamps for aligning specimens with complex geometries
- Funnel for clean and loss-free filling of the mounting resin into the press mould
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!
