Publication | Closed Access
On the Application of X-ray Microtomography in the Field of Materials Science
279
Citations
0
References
2001
Year
Computed TomographyX-ray SpectroscopyEngineeringX-ray MicrotomographyMicroscopyMechanical EngineeringMetallic FoamsX-ray FluorescenceStructural MaterialsX-ray ImagingRadiographyX-ray TechnologyComputational ImagingDance ImagesRadiologyHealth SciencesMaterials ScienceReconstruction TechniqueSynchrotron RadiationRadiographic ImagingTomography TechniqueCrystallographyMicrostructureMetallographyMaterials CharacterizationApplied PhysicsBiomedical ImagingX-ray DiffractionX-ray OpticTomography3D Imaging
The paper presents the principles and various setups of X‑ray micro‑tomography for producing medium‑ and high‑resolution, 3‑D, non‑destructive images. The study describes using the images quantitatively, combined with in‑situ tensile tests or simple microstructure analysis of structural materials. The authors demonstrate applications of micro‑tomography in materials science, showing medium‑resolution images of metallic foams and reinforced composites, high‑resolution images of aluminium alloys, phase‑contrast imaging of low‑absorbent materials with synchrotron radiation, and quantitative analysis via in‑situ tensile tests or microstructure assessment.
The principle of the tomography technique and the different possible set-ups, which can be used to obtain medium-(10 μm) and high-(1 μm) resolution, three-dimensional, non-destructive images, are shown in this paper. Illustrations are made of the applications of the technique in the field of materials science. Examples are given for medium-resolution images of metallic foams and model metal matrix composites that are reinforced with spherical particles. High-resolution examples are shown for aluminium alloys. For low-absorbent materials we show that the phase contrast obtained using synchrotron radiation can provide a valuable solution. The quantitative use of these images, coupled with in-situ tensile tests or used for the simple analysis of the initial microstructure of several structural materials, is also described.