Ellen Berghof-Hasselbächer
Coordinator DECHEMA Corrosion Center / Metallography


„Most causes of damage can already be classified by light optical microscopy by simple application of classical metallography on the cross section. In special cases, however, only the combination with additional analytical methods, which we offer you in addition, leads to a complete understanding.
We always guarantee you a systematic assessment of your technical damage."
Biography
since 1998
Head of the department Metallography in the working group "High Temperature-Materials" of the DECHEMA Research Institute (former Karl-Winnacker-Institut), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
1996 – 1998
Metallographer at Metalloplan GmbH, Company for Metallographic Services and Quality Control, Weilrod, Germany
1985 – 1995
Metallographer at Metallgesellschaft AG (by the year 1994 Metall-Laboratorium GmbH), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
1982 – 1985
Apprenticeship as a physics laboratory technician in the central laboratory of Metallgesellschaft AG, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Key Activities
- Failure analysis in the fields of:
Petrochemistry
Automobile and aviation industry
Chemical equipment manufacturing
Machinery and plant engineering
High Temperature Materials
Low and high alloyed steels
Ni-base alloys
Heat resistant centrifugally cast alloys
Titanium aluminides
Ceramics
Diffusion Coatings
Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBC) - Damage mechanisms
High temperature corrosion:
Oxidation
Sulfidation
Nitridation
Carburization
Metal Dusting
Chlorine corrosion
Molten salt corrosion
Sigma-Phase embrittlement
Thermo-mechanical fatigue (TMF)
Stress relaxation cracking
Aqueous corrosion:
Pitting corrosion
Selective corrosion
Contact- and crevice corrosion
Intergranular corrosion
Dew point corrosion
Stress corrosion cracking and corrosion fatigue
Erosion
Cavitation
Fretting corrosion
Other causes of damage:
Hydrogen embrittlement
Friction and wear
Mechanical induced (overload failure, fatigue fracture)
Thermal induced (creep, weld cracking, hot cracking, hardness cracking, thermal shock) - Investigation Techniques
Conventional Metallography
Water-free sample preparation to detect highly volatile metal chlorine compounds
Quantitative Image Analysis
SEM – EDS, EPMA-WDS, XRD
Spark emission spectrometry (OES)
Small load and microhardness testing
Nanohardness indentation
Publications
Books
E. Berghof-Hasselbächer, R. Durham, M. Schütze, M. Galetz, G. Schmidt, John J. Hoffman
Atlas of Microstructures II
Materials Technology Institute, St. Louis 2014, ISBN 978-1-57698-061-3
E. Berghof-Hasselbächer, M. Schütze, M. Schorr, P. Gawenda, John J. Hoffman
Atlas of Microstructures
Materials Technology Institute, St. Louis 2008, ISBN 978-1-57698-046-0
Peer-reviewed articles
E. Berghof-Hasselbächer, P. J. Masset, L. Zhang, L. Liu, Z. Jin, G. Schmidt, M. Galetz, M. Schütze
Microstructures of Erbium modified Aluminium-Copper Alloys
Pract. Metallogr. 49 (2012), 7, 396-411
E. Berghof-Hasselbächer, P. Gawenda, P. J. Masset, G. Schmidt, M. Schütze, S. Diliberto
The Metallographic Investigation of TiAl – Technical Alloy Microstructures
Pract. Metallogr. 47 (2010), 2, 65-83
E. Berghof-Hasselbächer, M. Schütze, M. Schorr, P. Gawenda, John J. Hoffman
The Development of a Microstructural Atlas of the Latest Heat Resistant Centrifugal Casting Alloys
Pract. Metallogr. 45 (2008), 9, 441-455
E. Berghof-Hasselbächer, V. Rohr, E. Nicolas, M. Schütze
The Determination of Al-diffusion Layer Thickness by Image Processing
Pract. Metallogr. 43 (2006), 3, 127-142
E. Berghof-Hasselbächer, C. Rosado Sainz-Rozas, M. Schütze
Protective Coatings to Prevent Metal Dusting
Pract. Metallogr. 40 (2003), 8, 407-419
E. Berghof-Hasselbächer, H. Echsler, P. Gawenda, M. Schütze
Time and Temperature Dependent Development of Physical Defects in Thermal Barrier Coating Systems
Pract. Metallogr. 40 (2003), 5, 219-231
E. Berghof-Hasselbächer, H.-E. Bühler, O. Grewen, M. Schorr, J. Schürrhoff, M. Schütze
Investigations on component failure of grate systems during residual wood combustion
Pract. Metallogr. 39 (2002), 7, 369-386
F. Dettenwanger, D. Grotmann, H. Friedrich, E. Berghof-Hasselbächer, M. Schorr, M. Schütze
Schaden an einer Wärmebehandlungsretorte durch Metal Dusting Angriff
Materials and Corrosion 50, (1999), 289-293
U. J. Brand, H.-E. Bühler, P. Karduck, S. Köhler, E. Berghof-Hasselbächer, M. Schütze
Damage caused by Oxidation and Carburisation at a Valve of Dehydrate unit
Pract. Metallogr. 36 (1999), 8, 406-422
Awards and Honors
- 2011 Materialography-Price (German Materials Society (DGM))
45. Metallography Conference 2011, Karlsruhe - 2011 Best Paper Award (Buehler GmbH), 45. Metallography Conference (DGM), Karlsruhe
2nd place for the second-best article of the Journal Practical Metallography in 2010 - 2009 Best Paper Award (Buehler GmbH), 43. Metallography Conference (DGM), Aachen
1st place for the best article of the Journal Practical Metallography in 2008 - 2005 Best Poster Award (Struers GmbH), 39. Metallography Conference (DGM), Erlangen
1st place for the best Poster of the Conference Poster Session - 1993 Photo competition, 28. Metallography Conference (DGM), Aachen
1st place in the category illustrative and teaching material
Memberships
- DGM