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- X-ray refraction (2)
- Aluminium alloy (1)
- Analyser based imaging (1)
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- Computed tomography (CT) (1)
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Hydrogen in metals can cause a degradation of the mechanical properties with possible subsequent hydrogen assisted cracking (HAC). Though, the mechanism of HAC is not completely understood yet and thus suitable methods for in situ investigations to characterise the crack formation are needed. X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a well-known tool for analysing these properties. However, the effective resolution of the detector system limits the detection of small defects by CT. Analyser based imaging (ABI) takes advantage of x-ray refraction at interfaces between volumes of different density, i.e. of cracks, pores, inclusions, etc., within the sample to detect defects smaller than the resolution of the detector system. In this study, measurements on an aluminium alloy weld showed that ABI allows us to resolve the 3D structure of cracks undetected by absorption based CT. Prospective investigations will analyse HAC in steels.
CONRAD-2 is an imaging instrument using low-energy (cold) neutrons. The instrument is installed at the end of a curved neutron guide which avoids the direct line of sight towards the reactor core. This ensures a very low background of high-energy neutrons and. photons at the sample position. The cold neutron beam provides a wavelength range which is suitable for phase-and diffraction-contrast imaging such as grating interferometry and Bragg edge mapping. The instrument is well suited for high resolution imaging due to the high efficiency of the very thin scintillators that can be used for the detection of cold neutrons. An instrument upgrade was performed recently as a part of an upgrade program for the cold neutron instrumentation at HZB. The parameters of the instrument as well as some research highlights will be presented.
3D Crack analysis in hydrogen charged lean duplex stainless steel with synchrotron refraction CT
(2016)
Hydrogen in metals can cause a degradation of the mechanical properties, the so-called hydrogen embrittlement. In combination with internal stresses, hydrogen assisted cracking (HAC) can occur. This phenomenon is not completely understood yet. To better characterise the cracking behaviour, it is important to gain information about the evolution of the 3D crack network. For this purpose samples of lean duplex stainless steel were loaded with hydrogen by means of electrochemical charging and investigated by means of synchrotron refraction CT and SEM fractography after uniaxial tensile loading. Synchrotron refraction CT is an analyser-based imaging (ABI) technique. It uses a Si (111) single crystal as analyser, which is placed into the beam path between sample and detector. According to Bragg’s law only incident x-rays within a narrow range around the Bragg-angle are diffracted from the analyser into the detector. Hence, the analyser acts as an angular filter for the transmitted beam. This filtering allows to turn the refraction and scattering of x-rays into image contrast. Refraction occurs at all interfaces, where the density of the material changes and is more sensitive to density changes than the attenuation. Therefore, it is possible to detect smaller cracks than with classical x-ray imaging techniques, like CT, with comparable spacial resolution. It also visualises the 3D structure of the cracks and gains quantitative information about their morphology and distribution. Since cracks introduced by HAC are usually very small and have a small opening displacement, synchrotron refraction CT is expected to be well suited for imaging this cracking mechanism and can be a valuable tool to characterise the formation and the evolution of a 3D crack network.
Neutron imaging has become a valuable tool for measuring hydrogen distributions qualitatively and quantitatively in metals. Hydrogen mass flow can be measured inside cm thick Steel samples with 10 s temporal resolution. Hydrogen accumulations around craclcs in embrittled iron samples can be visualized three-dimensionally. The gas pressure of hydrogen in crack cavities has been measured to be in the ränge of 5 MPa to 15 MPa. This quality of information allows new insights for the analysis of damage mechanisms on a micrometer scale, e.g., of hydrogen blistering. Further, this method is nondestructive and provides local information in situ and in three dimensions with a spatial resolution of 20 µm - 30 µm.
Neutron cameras allow visualizing hydrogen distributions with radiographic or tomographic imaging methods in iron and steel. The necessary contrast between hydrogen and iron stems from the high difference in the total neutron cross section of both elements. This allows e.g. the in situ measurement of hydrogen mass flow inside cm thick steel samples with a temporal resolution of 20 s using neutron radiography as well as the quantitative measurement of hydrogen accumulations at the crack’s inner surfaces in hydrogen embrittled iron samples with neutron tomography. We could detect directly gaseous hydrogen in the crack cavities and we measured the gas pressure. This new quality of the information on a micrometer scale allows new insights for the analysis of hydrogen-induced damage mechanisms. Further, this method is non-destructive and provides local information in situ and in three dimensions with a spatial resolution of 20-30 µm. In this contribution, we show examples that demonstrate the spatial and temporal resolution of the neutron radiography and tomography methods in order to visualize and quantify hydrogen accumulations at cracks. The measurements were performed at the research reactor BER II of the HZB in Berlin and at the FRM II reactor of the neutron source Heinz Maier-Leibnitz in Garching.
Duplexstähle besitzen ein zweiphasiges Gefüge und werden aufgrund ihrer verbesserten Schweißeignung gegenüber den Vollausteniten häufig im Anlagen- bzw. Apparatebau eingesetzt. Aufgrund der hohen Abkühlgeschwindigkeit und dem Abbrand von Legierungselementen kommt es zu einer Ferritisierung des Schweißguts und damit zu einer Degradation der mechanischen Eigenschaften. Zur Vorhersage des Phasenverhältnisses im Schweißgut wird das WRC1992-Diagramm genutzt. Dieses Diagramm zeigt einige Ungenauigkeiten und benötigt zur genaueren Vorhersage der Phasenverhältnisse eine Überarbeitung. Um den Einfluss einzelner Elemente auf das Schweißnahtmikrogefüge besser zu verstehen, wurden drahtförmige Schweißzusatzwerkstoffe mit dem Ferrit-Bildner Nb und dem Austenit-Bildner Cu beschichtet und für Schweißungen verwendet. Die Messmethode der Laser-induzierten Plasmaspektroskopie (LIBS) bietet hier eine gute Möglichkeit der in situ Überwachung der chemischen Konzentrationen, während des WIG-Schweißens von Duplexstählen. Die LIBS-Messergebnisse, konnten mit der Ferritnummer und der Schweißnahtmikrostruktur korreliert werden.