Complementary to Part 1 of this work, the bi-continuous microstructure of porous synthetic cordierite ceramics for filtration applications was investigated using 3D x-ray computed tomography at different resolutions. Applying both Fast Fourier Transform and a newly developed image analysis algorithm, we quantitatively evaluated porosity and pore orientation. The statistical approach allows extraction of spatially resolved or average values. Porosity values based on x-ray absorption agree with mercury intrusion measurements, while pore orientation factors agree with x-ray refraction data (Part 1 of this work), and with published crystallographic texture data.
Evaluating porosity in cordierite diesel particulate filter materials, part 1 X-ray refraction
(2013)
Bi-continuous porous ceramics for filtration applications possess a particularly complicated microstructure, with porosity and solid matter being intermingled. Mechanical, thermal, and filtration properties can only be precisely estimated if the morphology of both solid matter and porosity can be quantitatively determined. Using x-ray absorption and refraction, we quantitatively evaluate porosity and pore orientation in cordierite diesel particulate filter ceramics. Porosity values turn out to agree with mercury intrusion measurements, while pore orientation factors agree with published crystallographic texture data.