ISO 13383-1:2012

ISO 13383-1:2012 describes manual methods of making measurements for the determination of grain size of fine ceramics (advanced ceramics, advanced technical ceramics) using photomicrographs of polished and etched test pieces. The methods described in ISO 13383-1:2012 do not yield the true mean grain diameter, but a somewhat smaller parameter depending on the method applied to analyse a two-dimensional section. The relationship to true grain dimensions depends on the grain shape and the degree of microstructural anisotropy. ISO 13383-1:2012 contains two principal methods, A and B.

Method A is the mean linear intercept technique. Method A1 applies to single-phase ceramics, and to ceramics with a principal crystalline phase and a glassy grain-boundary phase of less than about 5 % by volume for which intercept counting suffices. Method A2 applies to ceramics with more than about 5 % by volume of pores or secondary phases, or ceramics with more than one major crystalline phase where individual intercept lengths are measured, which can optionally be used to create a size distribution. This latter method allows the pores or phases to be distinguished and the mean linear intercept size for each to be calculated separately.

Method B is the mean equivalent circle diameter method, which applies to any type of ceramic with or without a secondary phase. This method may also be employed for determining grain aspect ratio and a size distribution.