The University of Manchester - Equipment Account

一直以来，我们的“看”能力与我们对世界的理解是齐头并进的，从我们对非常遥远的(第一台望远镜到哈勃望远镜和阵列望远镜)到非常微小的(第一台显微镜到高性能电子显微镜)的理解。X射线断层扫描不仅可以显示3D图像，还可以显示时间变化。而X射线成像正在向同步加速器的10 nm分辨率发展，我们可以在实验室中以50 nm的分辨率成像。对于工程材料来说，分辨率本身并不是目的。我们需要能够在控制损伤成核的尺度上成像，同时拥有足够大的样本以具有工程意义。例如，在许多情况下，为了使裂纹行为能够代表实际行为(例如，R曲线响应)，样品需要为毫米或更大尺寸，但增韧机制在微米级运行。这个资本设备项目正是专注于这种空间机制，使我们能够在实验室中以数十分钟的时间尺度跟踪3D亚微米微结构演变过程。新的3D x射线成像仪将使我们能够实现随着时间的推移跟踪退化和修复过程的能力的阶跃(4D)，包括：-自修复陶瓷和聚合物复合材料-在坚韧的分级生物材料和生物启发结构中的裂纹生长-涂层演变和亚表面失效-电池和燃料电池的充放电。这些应用对于更轻的运输，通过更高的发动机运行温度更有效地产生能量，以及向更加电动(低二氧化碳)经济的转变。除了这些具体的研究外，这些设备将向英国学者提供40%的时间(&gt；3年内240天)。这将允许与英国现有的成像能力相比，改进后的成像能力应用于非常广泛的应用，从土木工程到食品科学，从设备材料到新的生物扫描管。

It has long been true that our ability to 'see' has progressed hand in hand with our understanding of the world, from our understanding of the very distant (first telescopes to Hubble and the array telescopes) to the very minute (first microscopes to the high performance electron microscopes). X-ray tomography opens up not just 3D imaging but temporal changes too. While X-ray imaging is advancing towards 10nm resolution at synchrotrons and we can image at 50nm in the lab., for engineering materials resolution is not an end in itself. We need to be able to image at the scales that control damage nucleation while at the same time having samples large enough to be of engineering relevance. For example, in many cases samples need to be of millimetre, or larger dimensions, for crack behaviour to be representative of practical behaviours (e.g. R-curve response), but the toughening mechanisms operate at the micron scale. This capital equipment project focuses precisely on this spatial regime, enabling us to follow sub-micron microstructure evolution processes in 3D at timescales of tens of minutes in the lab.The new 3D x-ray imager will enable us to achieve a step jump in our ability to follow degradation and repair processes over time (4D), including: - Self-repairing ceramics and polymer composites - Crack growth in tough hierarchical biomaterials and bio-inspired structures - Coating evolution and sub-surface failure - Charging and discharging of batteries and fuel cells.These applications are important for lighter weight transport, producing energy more efficiently through higher enginer operating temperatures, and the move towards a more electric (lower CO2) economy.Besides these specific studies the equipment will be made available to Uk academics 40% time (>240 days over 3 years). This will allow the improved imaging capability relative to what is already available in the Uk to be applied to a vefy wide range of appplications, from civil engineering through to food science, from device materials through to new bio-scafolds.