3.2.4. Optical Analysis

The fracture surface of the specimens subjected to creep offers reliable information about the micromechanical deformations that occurred during the creep tests. Consequently, some specimens, appropriately selected at certain stress levels, were cold fractured along the tensile direction. The fracture surfaces, coated prior with a thin layer of platinum to avoid charge build up, were investigated by an FEI Quanta 450 FEG (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA) scanning electron microscope (SEM).
