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Nondestructive investigation of damage in composites using x-ray tomographic microscopy (XTM)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 January 2011

J.H. Kinney
Affiliation:
Chemistry and Materials Science Department, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551
S.R. Stock
Affiliation:
School of Materials Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332
M.C. Nichols
Affiliation:
Materials Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, California 94550
U. Bonse
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Dortmund, Dortmund, Federal Republic of Germany
T.M. Breunig
Affiliation:
School of Materials Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332
R.A. Saroyan
Affiliation:
Chemistry and Materials Science Department, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551
R. Nusshardt
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Dortmund, Dortmund, Federal Republic of Germany
Q.C. Johnson
Affiliation:
Chemistry and Materials Science Department, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94551
F. Busch
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Dortmund, Dortmund, Federal Republic of Germany
S.D. Antolovich
Affiliation:
School of Materials Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332
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Abstract

X-ray tomographic microscopy (XTM), utilizing intense, highly collimated synchrotron radiation, has been used to nondestructively image materials structures in three dimensions. The spatial resolution of the technique approaches that of conventional optical microscopy, but XTM does not require polished surfaces or serial sections. We present the results of an XTM investigation of a composite material composed of silicon-carbide fibers in an aluminum matrix. The results reveal the aluminum/silicon-carbide interfaces and show microcracks running along many of the interfaces as well as in the matrix. Excellent contrast is observed between the silicon-carbide sheath of the fiber surrounding the graphite core and the coating at the fiber-matrix interface. The sensitivity to small changes in the linear absorption coefficient allows nondestructive imaging of variations in chemistry between graphite and silicon carbide and between silicon carbide and aluminum. The experimentally determined values of the absorption coefficients of these phases are identical to values published in the literature. For the first time, XTM will allow observation of damage accumulation and crack growth during deformation testing. The availability of such data will greatly improve our understanding of failure in advanced materials.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1990

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