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The microstructure of an apatite-wollastonite (code name AP40) glass-ceramic is analyzed in this study by combining 2D microscopy, phase analysis, X-ray absorption and synchrotron X-ray refraction computed tomography (XCT and SXRCT, respectively). It is shown that this combination provides a useful toolbox to characterize the global microstructure in a wide scale range, from sub-micrometer to millimeter. The material displays a complex microstructure comprising a glassy matrix with embedded fluorapatite and wollastonite small crystals. In this matrix, large (up to 200 μm) spike-shaped structures are distributed. Such microstructural features are oriented around a central sphere, thereby forming a structure resembling a sea urchin. A unique feature of SXRCT, in contrast to XCT, is that internal interfaces are visualized; this allows one to show the 3D distribution of these urchins with exceptionally good contrast. Furthermore, it is revealed that the spike-shaped structures are not single crystals, but rather composed of sub-micrometric crystals, which are identified as fluorapatite and diopside phases by SEM-EDX analysis.
In this work, two X-ray refraction based imaging methods, namely, synchrotron X-ray refraction radiography (SXRR) and synchrotron X-ray refraction computed tomography (SXRCT), are applied to analyze quantitatively cracks and porosity in metallic materials.
SXRR and SXRCT make use of the refraction of X-rays at inner surfaces of the material, e.g., the surfaces of cracks and pores, for image contrast. Both methods are, therefore, sensitive to smaller defects than their absorption based counterparts X-ray radiography and computed tomography. They can detect defects of nanometric size.
So far the methods have been applied to the analysis of ceramic materials and fiber reinforced plastics. The analysis of metallic materials requires higher photon energies to achieve sufficient X-ray transmission due to their higher density. This causes smaller refraction angles and, thus, lower image contrast because the refraction index depends on the photon energy. Here, for the first time, a conclusive study is presented exploring the possibility to apply SXRR and SXRCT to metallic materials. It is shown that both methods can be optimized to overcome the reduced contrast due to smaller refraction angles. Hence, the only remaining limitation is the achievable X-ray Transmission which is common to all X-ray imaging methods. Further, a model for the quantitative analysis of the inner surfaces is presented and verified.
For this purpose four case studies are conducted each posing a specific challenge to the imaging task. Case study A investigates cracks in a coupon taken from an aluminum weld seam. This case study primarily serves to verify the model for quantitative analysis and prove the sensitivity to sub-resolution features. In case study B, the
damage evolution in an aluminum-based particle reinforced metal-matrix composite is analyzed. Here, the accuracy and repeatability of subsequent SXRR measurements is investigated showing that measurement errors of less than 3% can be achieved. Further, case study B marks the fist application of SXRR in combination with in-situ tensile loading. Case study C is out of the highly topical field of additive manufacturing. Here, porosity in additively manufactured Ti-Al6-V4 is analyzed with a special interest in the pore morphology. A classification scheme based on SXRR measurements is devised which allows to distinguish binding defects from keyhole pores even if the defects cannot be spatially resolved. In case study D, SXRCT is applied to the analysis of hydrogen assisted cracking in steel. Due to the high X-ray attenuation of steel a comparatively high photonenergy of 50 keV is required here. This causes increased noise and lower contrast in the data compared to the other case studies. However, despite the lower data quality a quantitative analysis of the occurance of cracks in dependence of hydrogen content and applied mechanical load is possible.
While the problem of the identification of mechanisms of hydrogen assisted damage has and is being thoroughly studied, the quantitative analysis of such damage still lacks suitable tools. In fact, while, for instance, electron microscopy yields excellent characterization, the quantitative analysis of damage requires at the same time large field-of-views and high spatial resolution. Synchrotron X-ray refraction techniques do possess both features. In this work, we show how synchrotron X-ray refraction computed tomography (SXRCT) can quantify damage induced by hydrogen embrittlement in a lean duplex steel, yielding results that overperform even those achievable by synchrotron X-ray absorption computed tomography. As already reported in literature, but this time using a non-destructive technique, we show that the hydrogen charge does not penetrate to the center of tensile specimens. By the comparison between virgin and hydrogen-charged specimens, we deduce that cracks in the specimen bulk are due to the rolling process rather than hydrogen-assisted. We show that (micro)cracks propagate from the surface of tensile specimens to the interior with increasing applied strain, and we deduce that a significant crack propagation can only be observed short before rupture.
While structural ceramics usually display a brittle mechanical behavior, their composites may show nonlinearities, mostly due to microcracking. Herein, the stiffness evolution of a sandwich-like laminate of an Al2O3 15%vol. ZrO2 matrix reinforced with Nextel 610 fibers is studied as a function of number of cycles N in tension. The stiffness of the composite degrades with increasing N, indicating microcracking. However, synchrotron X-ray refraction radiography shows that the internal specific surface of such cracks varies differently. A modeling strategy is developed for the calculation of the equivalent stiffness of mixtures (first the matrix and then the sandwich), based on the Voigt and Reuß schemes. The Bruno–Kachanov model is then used to estimate the initial microcrack density in the matrix (due to the thermal expansion mismatch) and the amount of microcracking increase upon cyclic loading. The stiffness in the composite degrades dramatically already after 20 000 cycles but then remains nearly constant. The combination of mechanical testing, quantitative imaging analysis, and modeling provides insights into the damage mechanisms acting: microcrack propagation is more active than microcrack initiation upon cyclic loading, but the second also occurs. This scenario is similar but not equal to previous results on porous and microcracked ceramics.
Using SXRR to Probe the Nature of Discontinuities in SLM Additive Manufactured Inconel 718 Specimens
(2020)
The utilization of additive manufacturing (AM) to fabricate robust structural components relies on understanding the nature of internal anomalies or discontinuities, which can compromise the structural integrity. While some discontinuities in AM microstructures stem from similar mechanisms as observed in more traditional processes such as casting, others are unique to the AM process. Discontinuities in AM are challenging to detect, due to their submicron size and orientation dependency. Toward the goal of improving structural integrity, minimizing discontinuities in an AM build requires an understanding of the mechanisms of formation to mitigate their occurrence. This study utilizes various techniques to evaluate the shape, size, nature and distribution of discontinuities in AM Inconel 718, in a non-hot isostatic pressed (HIPed) as-built, non-HIPed and direct age, and HIPed with two step age samples. Non-destructive synchrotron radiation refraction and transmission radiography (SXRR) provides additional information beyond that obtained with destructive optical microscopy. SXRR was able to distinguish between voids, cracks and lack of melt in, due to its sensitivity to the orientation of the discontinuity.
Porosity in additively manufactured materials, such as laser powder bed fusion Ti-Al6-V4, can play an important role in their mechanical performance. Not only the total porosity but also the shape/morphology of the individual pores need to be considered. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the distributions of different defect types (especially fusing defects and keyhole pores) and their dependence on process parameters. We show that synchrotron X-ray refraction radiography allows analysis of large samples (up to several millimeters) without compromising the detectability of submicrometer defects. Correspondingly, a classification tool is introduced that is able to quantitatively distinguish defects such as keyhole pores and binding defects with a confidence level of 94 %, even when the shape cannot be discerned because of limited spatial resolution.
Ceramics and their composites are in general brittle materials because they are predominantly made up of ionic and covalent bonds that avoid dislocation motion at room temperature. However, a remarkable ductile behavior has been observed on newly developed 11 mol.% ceria-stabilized zirconia (11Ce-TZP) composite containing fine alumina (8 vol.% Al2O3) and elongated strontium hexa-aluminate (8 vol.% SrAl12O19) grains. The as-synthesized composite also has shown full resistance to Low Temperature Degradation (LTD), relatively high strength and exceptionally high Weibull modulus, allowing its use in a broader range of biomedical applications. In this study, to deepen the understanding of plastic deformation in Ce-TZP based composites that could soon be used for manufacturing dental implants, different mechanical tests were applied on the material, followed by complete microstructural characterization. Distinct from pure Ce-TZP material or other zirconia-based ceramics developed in the past, the material here studied can be permanently strained without affecting the Young modulus, indicating that the ductile response of tested samples cannot be associated to damage occurrence. This ductility is related to the stress-induced tetragonal to monoclinic (t-m) zirconia phase transformation, analogue to Transformation-Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steels, where retained austenite is transformed to martensite. The aim of this study is to corroborate if the observed plasticity can be associated exclusively to the zirconia t-m phase transformation, or also to microcraking induced by the transformation. The t-m transformed-zones produced after bending and biaxial tests were examined by X-ray refraction and SEM/TEM coupled with Raman. The results revealed that the observed elastic-plastic behavior occurs without extensive microcracking, confirming a purely elastic-plastic behavior driven by the phase transformation (absence of damage).
Degradation of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) in gas‐turbine engines due to calcium–magnesium–aluminosilicate (CMAS) glassy deposits from various sources has been a persistent issue since many years. In this study, state of the art electron microscopy was correlated with X‐ray refraction techniques to elucidate the intrusion of CMAS into the porous structure of atmospheric plasma sprayed (APS) TBCs and the formation and growth of cracks under thermal cycling in a burner rig. Results indicate that the sparse nature of the infiltration as well as kinetics in the burner rig are majorly influenced by the wetting behavior of the CMAS. Despite the obvious attack of CMAS on grain boundaries, the interaction of yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ) with intruded CMAS has no immediate impact on structure and density of internal surfaces. At a later stage the formation of horizontal cracks is observed in a wider zone of the TBC layer.
Zirconia-based cast refractories are widely used for glass furnace applications. Since they have to withstand harsh chemical as well as thermo-mechanical environments, internal stresses and microcracking are often present in such materials under operating conditions (sometimes in excess of 1700 °C). We studied the evolution of thermal (CTE) and mechanical (Young’s modulus) properties as a function of temperature in a fused-cast refractory containing 94 wt.% of monoclinic ZrO2 and 6 wt.% of a silicate glassy phase. With the aid of X-ray refraction techniques (yielding the internal specific surface in materials), we also monitored the evolution of microcracking as a function of thermal cycles (crossing the martensitic phase transformation around 1000 °C) under externally applied stress. We found that external compressive stress leads to a strong decrease of the internal surface per unit volume, but a tensile load has a similar (though not so strong) effect. In agreement with existing literature on -eucryptite microcracked ceramics, we could explain These phenomena by microcrack closure in the load direction in the compression case, and by microcrack propagation (rather than microcrack nucleation) under tensile conditions.
Microstructure characterisation of advanced materials via 2D and 3D X-ray refraction techniques
(2018)
3D imaging techniques have an enormous potential to understand the microstructure, its evolution, and its link to mechanical, thermal, and transport properties. In this conference paper we report the use of a powerful, yet not so wide-spread, set of X-ray techniques based on refraction effects. X-ray refraction allows determining internal specific surface (surface per unit volume) in a non-destructive fashion, position and orientation sensitive, and with a nanometric detectability. We demonstrate showcases of ceramics and composite materials, where microstructural parameters could be achieved in a way unrivalled even by high-resolution techniques such as electron microscopy or computed tomography. We present in situ analysis of the damage evolution in an Al/Al2O3 metal matrix composite during tensile load and the identification of void formation (different kinds of defects, particularly unsintered powder hidden in pores, and small inhomogeneity’s like cracks) in Ti64 parts produced by selective laser melting using synchrotron X-ray refraction radiography and tomography.
The in situ analysis of the damage evolution in a metal Matrix composite (MMC) using synchrotron X-ray refraction radiography (SXRR) is presented. The investigated material is an Al alloy (6061)/10 vol% Al2O3 MMC after T6 heat treatment.
In an interrupted tensile test the gauge section of dog bone-shaped specimens is imaged in different states of tensile loading. On the basis of the SXRR images, the relative change of the specific surface (proportional to the amount of damage) in the course of tensile loading was analyzed. It could be shown that the damage can be detected by SXRR already at a stage of tensile loading, in which no Observation of damage is possible with radiographic absorption-based imaging methods.
Moreover, the quantitative analysis of the SXRR images reveals that the amount of damage increases homogeneously by an average of 25% with respect to the Initial state. To corroborate the experimental findings, the damage distribution was imaged in 3D after the final tensile loading by synchrotron X-ray refraction computed tomography (SXRCT) and absorption-based synchrotron X-ray computed tomography (SXCT). It could be evidenced that defects and damages cause pronounced indications in the SXRCT images.
Carbon fiber composites have been increasingly used in aerospace, military, sports, automotive and other fields due to their excellent properties, including high specific strength, high specific modulus, corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, and low thermal expansion coefficient. Interlaminar fracture is a serious failure mode leading to a loss in composite stiffness and strength. Iscontinuities formed during manufacturing process degrade the fatigue life and interlaminar fracture resistance of the composite. In his study, three approaches were implemented and their results were correlated to quantify discontinuities effecting static and fatigue interlaminar fracture behavior of carbon fiber composites.
Samples were fabricated by hand layup vacuum bagging manufacturing process under three different vacuum levels, indicated High (-686 mmHg), Moderate (-330 mmHg) and Poor (0 mmHg). Discontinuity content was quantified throughthickness by destructive and nondestructive techniques. Eight different NDE methods were conducted including imaging NDE methods: X-Ray laminography, ultrasonic, high frequency eddy current, pulse thermography, pulse phase thermography and lock-in-thermography, and averaging NDE techniques: X-Ray refraction and thermal conductivity measurements. Samples were subsequently destructively serial sectioned through-thickness into several layers. Both static and fatigue interlaminar fracture behavior under Mode I were conducted. The results of several imaging NDE methods revealed the trend in percentages of discontinuity. However, the results of averaging NDE methods showed a clear correlation since they gave specific values of discontinuity through-thickness. Serial sectioning exposed the composite’s internal structure and provided a very clear idea about the type, shape, size, distribution and location of most discontinuities included. The results of mechanical testing showed that discontinuities lead to a decrease in Mode I static interlaminar fracture toughness and a decrease in Mode I cyclic strain energy release rates fatigue life. Finally, all approaches were correlated: the resulted NDE percentages and parameters were correlated with the features revealed by the destructive test of serial sectioning and static and fatigue values in order to quantify discontinuities such as delamination and voids.
In this study a metal-matrix-composite with aluminum matrix and Al2O3 particles was investigated with x-ray refraction topography and in-situ tensile loading. It could be observed that after reaching a certain load the specific surface increased steadily. However, the classical radiographs taken for comparison show no damage in the sample.
To better understand the mechanism of hydrogen assisted cracking (HAC), it is important to investigate the 3D structure of the cracks non-destructively. Since, cracks introduced by HAC are usually very small, conventional x-ray imaging methods often lack the required spatial resolution.
However, the detection of those cracks can be enhanced by taking advantage of refraction at interfaces within the sample.
To image this refractive deflection we employ analyser based imaging (ABI). In this work we aim at proving the enhanced crack detection of ABI by investigating an alluminum alloy weld.
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.
The most substantial innovations in radiographic imaging techniques of the last two decades aim at enhanced image contrast of weakly absorbing micro and nano structures by taking advantage of X-ray refraction effects occurring at outer and inner surfaces. The applications range from fibre reinforced plastics to biological tissues. These techniques comprise, among others, X-ray refraction topography, diffraction enhanced imaging, phase contrast imaging, Talbot-Lau grating interferometry, and refraction enhanced imaging. They all make use of selective beam deflections up to a few minutes of arc: the X-ray refraction effect. In contrast to diffraction, this type of interaction has a 100 % scattering cross section, as shown experimentally. Since X-ray refraction is very sensitive to the orientation of interfaces, it is additionally a tool to detect, e.g., fibre or pore orientation. If the detector resolution exceeds the size of (small) individual features, one detects the integral information (of inner surfaces) within the gauge volume. We describe the above-mentioned techniques, and show their experimental implementation in the lab and at a synchrotron source. We also show strategies for data processing and quantitative analysis.
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.