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In Situ Testing Using Synchrotron Radiation Computed Tomography in Materials Research

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Abstract

High resolution (< 1 µm) computed tomography is an attractive tool in materials research due to its ability to non-destructively visualize the three-dimensional internal microstructures of the material. Recently, this technique has been further empowered by adding a fourth (temporal) dimension to study the time-lapse material response under load. Such studies are referred to as four-dimensional or in situ testing. In this snapshot review, we highlight three representative examples of in situ testing using synchrotron radiation computed tomography (SRCT) for composites failure analysis, measurement of local corrosion rate in alloys, and visualization and quantification of electrochemical reactions in lithium-ion batteries, as well as forward-looking integration of machine learning with in situ CT. Lastly, the future opportunities and challenges of in situ SRCT testing are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Xinchen Ni

  2. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA

    Nathan K. Fritz & Brian L. Wardle

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  1. Xinchen Ni
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  2. Nathan K. Fritz
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  3. Brian L. Wardle
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Ni, X., Fritz, N.K. & Wardle, B.L. In Situ Testing Using Synchrotron Radiation Computed Tomography in Materials Research. MRS Advances 4, 2831–2841 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1557/adv.2019.390

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