Staaltjes

Staaltjes (singular staaltje) is a Dutch term for small samples or specimens taken from a larger material for analysis, testing, or demonstration. Although the word suggests a small piece of steel, staaltjes are used for a wide range of materials, including metals, ceramics, polymers, minerals and liquids. They are commonly prepared and stored in laboratories, quality-control departments and museums.

In metallurgy and materials science, staaltjes are prepared by cutting a tiny piece from a component or billet, then mounting it in resin, followed by grinding and polishing to expose a flat surface for microstructural examination or hardness testing. They may be etched to reveal grain structure. For chemical analysis, a staaltje can be a small sample of the substance used for spectroscopy or chromatography. In geology, rock or mineral chips are prepared as staaltjes for petrographic analysis.

The term also appears in educational or display contexts, where staaltjes illustrate a material’s properties or composition. Standard practice governs their size, shape, labeling and storage to ensure representativeness and traceability. Typical dimensions vary by application but often range from a few millimeters to a few centimeters.

See also: sample, specimen, metallography, sampling, materials testing.