Taking three-dimensional x-ray diffraction (3DXRD) from the synchrotron to the laboratory scale

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Physics
• Engineering

Background:

• Three-dimensional X-ray Diffraction (3DXRD) is crucial for analyzing micromechanical behavior in polycrystalline materials.
• Current 3DXRD applications are primarily confined to expensive synchrotron facilities, limiting broader accessibility.
• Simultaneous measurement of volume, position, orientation, and strain for numerous grains is a key capability of 3DXRD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the feasibility and accuracy of laboratory-scale 3DXRD (Lab-3DXRD) using a liquid-metal-jet source.
• To establish Lab-3DXRD as a practical and accessible alternative to synchrotron-based 3DXRD.
• To validate the performance of Lab-3DXRD against established techniques like LabDCT and synchrotron-3DXRD.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of a laboratory-scale 3DXRD system utilizing a liquid-metal-jet x-ray source.
• Validation of Lab-3DXRD results through comparison with laboratory diffraction contrast tomography (LabDCT) and synchrotron-based 3DXRD.
• Cross-validation of detected grains, focusing on accuracy for both coarse and finer grain sizes.

Main Results:

• Successful demonstration of laboratory-scale 3DXRD (Lab-3DXRD) with accuracy comparable to synchrotron-based methods.
• Over 96% cross-validation rate for grains detected by Lab-3DXRD, especially for coarse grains (>~60 μm).
• Indication that sensitivity to finer grains can be improved with high-efficiency detectors and pre-characterization analysis.

Conclusions:

• Lab-3DXRD, powered by a liquid-metal-jet source, offers a practical and accurate alternative to synchrotron-based 3DXRD.
• This advancement significantly broadens the accessibility of 3DXRD for academic and industrial research.
• The developed Lab-3DXRD technique facilitates detailed micromechanical studies of polycrystalline materials outside of large-scale facilities.