A low-cost 3D printed resin cell for multimodal X-ray characterization of bio-cementation between two particles

We present the design and operation of a low-cost 3D printed resin flow cell for the study of bio-cementation between two aligned particles in contact. The cell supports multimodal synchrotron X-ray characterization of the same interparticle contact, combining 3D X-ray diffraction modalities including scanning 3D X-ray diffraction, X-ray computed tomography and darkfield X-ray microscopy across multiple beamlines at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. Its geometry allows calcite crystals precipitated at the particle contact to be unambiguously distinguished from those nucleated on the cell walls during both indexing and crystal selection. The platform is demonstrated on glass beads and S30 sand grains cemented over successive cycles under varying NaCl concentrations, resolving the morphology and orientation of individual calcite crystals from the grain scale down to the intragranular scale. Practical limitations of the current design are also discussed.