Multiscale x-ray imaging facility for monitoring and modelling structural evolution in situ
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Manchester
Department Name: Materials
Abstract
While laboratory based 3D x-ray imagers are becoming as much a part of the toolkit available in materials science labs as traditional electron microscopy, most systems are equiped only to examine small 'dead' artefacts. Synchrotron based X-ray imaging on the other hand offers much more flexible use of experimental space and instrumental configuration as well as offering higher resolution, but access is limited for most users to a few days per year; precluding many important experiments; particularly those with complex sample environments which take many days to set up, or for which the change in state takes place over days.This project is aimed at establishing an X-ray tomographic imaging facility that will open up a wide range of land mark experiments far beyond the interests of the proposers. We will put in place a framework by which users from within the physical sciences and beyond can access the facility no matter where they are located in the UK. Emphasis will be on experiments that cannot easily be done on bench-top systems, nor are best suited to synchrotron research facilities, or simply require experimentation prior to a visit to a synchrotron. It is not possible to second guess all the applications that will arise, especially those proposed from outside the Univesity of Manchester, but examples where there is a proven need and interest from within the University of Manchester include: + fibrous architectures (biomaterials & paper/textiles): to test models for the performance of non-wovens and to optimise scaffolds for cell growth + crack propagation - using phase contrast to reveal crack initiation and high resolution region of interest studies to monitor crack growth rates and crack morlphologies + in-situ powder processing: to extract information in 3D about powder movement and consolidation + metallurgy: to use phase contrast to measure phase microstructures in 3D + corrosion and protection: to exploit high resolution imaging to monitor the evolution of intergranular stress corrosion in 3D + soft solids processing: using phase contrast to delineate how small changes in processing can lead to big changes in morphology + polymer composites: exploiting phase contrast to highlight damage; and monitoring damage evolution + biomaterials: extracting structures that can be modelled and tested virtually to learn natures lessons + porous media: to characterise initial structures and to measure their reponse to fluids, deformation etc + geological materials: to provide input data for seismic modelling and performance prediction + paleontology: exploiting phase contrast to reveal fossil structures + dental materials: to optimise formulation/microstructure /property relationsAs a strategic investment from the University, the Facility will be on open access to users from across the Engineering and Physical Sciences Faculty at the University of Manchester as well as those outside, for which access arrangements and support will be in place.The beamline-based facility will have much in common with those being developed by the proposers at synchrotron facilties. This will mean that experiments can be switched between the two according to need. It also means that some software developed will be transferable from one to the other.
Organisations
Publications
Jeffery NS
(2011)
Micro-computed tomography with iodine staining resolves the arrangement of muscle fibres.
in Journal of biomechanics
L. A. Hidalgo-Bastida (Co-Author)
(2011)
Validation of the effect of Wall Shear Stress on Cell Adhesion for a perfusion Bioreactor Mathematical Model
Robert Stephenson (Co-Author)
(2011)
Contrast enhanced micro computed tomography resolves the morphology of the cardiac conduction system
Leaver GW
(2011)
Porting the AVS/Express scientific visualization software to Cray XT4.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
D. A. Penney (Co-Author)
(2011)
A new species of anapid spider (Araneae: Araneoidea, Anapidae) in Eocene Baltic amber, imaged using phase contrast X-ray computed micro-tomography
in Zootaxa
Evans L
(2011)
Fusion scientists of the future
in Physics World
Hamodi N
(2011)
Microstructure Characterization of Simulated Tri-Isotropic Particles Embedded in Alkaline Borosilicate Glass
in International Journal of Applied Glass Science
Falkingham PL
(2011)
Simulating sauropod manus-only trackway formation using finite-element analysis.
in Biology letters
Description | The aim of this grant was to establish a new facility for the multiscale 3D x-ray imaging of materials behaviour in situ through the acquisition of 2 x-ray scanners. We were able to refurbish the space and install the new scanners and open the new facility named the Henry Moseley X-ray Imaging facility within 12 months of the start of the project. The Facility now houses 8 x-ray scanners and has been complemented by a synchrotron imaging Facility at the Diamond Light source. The Facility has been so successful we will double its size in the next 6 months. All of the equipment is designed to accommodate a variety of in situ stages. The parallel Imperial College grant also funded an in situ stage that is now helping us to study many phenomena such as the hot tearing of liquid metal which is helping us to reduce solidification cracking during casting. These stages have delivered a very wide range of scientific outcomes such as the identification of subsurface failure sites during thermal exposure of thermal barrier coatings used for turbine blades, aspects of the pupation of butterflies, the sequence of events that lead to subsurface corrosion in 2024 aluminium alloy, a geometrical explanation of auxetic (negative poisons ratio) foams, the chain of events leading up to crack formation during powder metallurgy, the changes in structure that occur in solid oxide fuel cells at temperature, the expansion and contraction of Li battery electrodes and solid finite element modelling evidence that veloceraptor claws were used as crampons rather than for scalping flesh. We have exploited phase contrast imaging in the lab to resolve a number of paleontological questions and iterative image reconstruction to acquire 3D images using many fewer radiographs, reducing dose and increasing the speed of 3D image acquisition. We have also determined the level of cell damage to cell cultures caused by X-ray imaging to define safe regimes for cell ingrowth studies into tissue scaffolds. |
Exploitation Route | In parallel to the academic work of the Facility we have developed an industrial measurements program making the 3D scanning capability available to industrial users. This was aided in part by a knowledge transfer award (KTA) with NPL to identify measurement issues associated with 3D coordinate measurement by tomography; the post doc employed on that project now runs our industrial measurements program which has carried out work for over 30 companies. We are about to appoint a technician to make the Facility available for industrially funded work. We work closely with Xradia helping them to define the specification for a new instrument the VERSA. We have worked with, Nikon on the development of improved reconstruction algorithms for their imager, we have worked through a KTA with Rapiscan on the development of iterative imaging to improve the capability of their security baggage scanner and Gatan in developing in-SEM x-ray tomography. Finally as regards use by the public we make our 3D images available on youtube; our work on huntsman Fossils (http://youtu.be/IL4f_x4CFQA) for example has received 180,000 views. In order to enable wider access to our Facility a year ago we developed an electronic on-line application system (www.imaging.manchester.ac.uk) and have become a 'small scale research facility'. From within the University of Manchester over the last year we have had 55 Materials scientists, 12 Earth Sci.,15 Mech. Eng., 5 Computing, 8 Clinical medics, 9 Biomater/biomed, 7 Life scientists, 3 corrosion sci., 3 textiles sci., 3 dental sci., 2 Civil eng, 4 paleontologists, 2 from cultural history, 1 electronics and 2 planetary scientists use the facility. In addition we have been able to open up our Facility to academics from 14 UK universities and receive visitors from 14 other countries during the last year. It is anticipated that such access will expand provided we can manage our cost model. Finally we have set up a Collaborative Computational Program around Computer Tomography to share 3D analysis software and software for reconstruction of the 3D images. This network has around 100 UK academic, industrial and instrument scientist members. |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Description | 30 external academic projects which relates to 112 days of across seven of our XCT scanners and using our rigs 24 commercial projects which relates to 55 days of across four of our XCT scanners. Range of industries including oil/gas, pharmaceutical and aerospace. 85 internal UoM academic projects which relates to over 500 days across eight of our XCT scanners and using our rigs. 65 of these projects were on research grants (relating to 350 days of access) 20 of the these projects were students (relating to 160 days of access) |
First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
Sector | Other |
Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Economic,Policy & public services |
Description | AWE |
Amount | £304,137 (GBP) |
Organisation | Atomic Weapons Establishment |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | |
End | 01/2012 |
Description | AWE |
Amount | £304,137 (GBP) |
Organisation | Atomic Weapons Establishment |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | CCP:Tomographic Imaging |
Amount | £469,584 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/J010456/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | GLOBAL- Manchester Image Reconstruction and ANalysis (MIRAN): Step jumps in imaging by Global Exchange of user pull and method push |
Amount | £498,383 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/K00428X/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Henry Moseley X-ray Imaging Facility |
Amount | £33,525 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | High Resolution 4D imaging of degradation and self-repair processes - Resources |
Amount | £102,171 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/K004530/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | In situ time-dependent characterisation of corrosion processes in nuclear waste storage and GDF environments |
Amount | £746,015 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/I036397/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | KTA 049 An X-ray Tomography Based Metrology Service |
Amount | £80,135 (GBP) |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Manchester-Diamond Collaboration |
Amount | £4,633,120 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Manchester |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Massive Remote Batch Visualizer (MRBV) and X-Ray Imaging Project |
Amount | £47,545 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Department | High-End Computing Terascale Resource (HECToR) |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Massive Remote Batch Visualizer (MRBV) and X-Ray Imaging Project |
Amount | £47,545 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Edinburgh |
Department | High-End Computing Terascale Resource (HECToR) |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2009 |
End | 06/2010 |
Description | Multi-scale X-ray imaging |
Amount | £304,137 (GBP) |
Organisation | Atomic Weapons Establishment |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2009 |
End | 01/2012 |
Description | Multi-scale X-ray imaging |
Amount | £304,137 (GBP) |
Organisation | Atomic Weapons Establishment |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Multidisciplinary Charactersation Facility |
Amount | £18,017,381 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Mancheter RPIF Round 2 |
Organisation | Higher Education Funding Council for England |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2013 |
End | 03/2015 |
Description | Next generation multidimensional x-ray imaging |
Amount | £1,219,152 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/M010619/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 01/2015 |
End | 12/2019 |
Description | Regenerating Tendons with Biodegradable Fibrous Scaffolds |
Amount | £881,068 (GBP) |
Funding ID | G1000788 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Residual Stress & Damage Characterisation: Extending Across Length & Time Scales |
Amount | £1,364,736 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/F028431/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Structural Evolution across multiple time and length scales |
Amount | £1,656,509 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/I02249X/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 10/2011 |
End | 09/2016 |
Description | Structural evolution across multiple time and length scales |
Amount | £1,656,509 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/I02249X/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | The University of Manchester - Equipment Account |
Amount | £816,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/J021229/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Description | Tomographic Imaging |
Amount | £469,584 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/J010456/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2012 |
End | 08/2015 |
Description | Tomographic Imaging |
Amount | £238,693 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/M022498/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2015 |
End | 08/2020 |
Description | Video Conversion for X-Ray Data: Virtual Research Environment (ViCoX) |
Amount | £20,807 (GBP) |
Funding ID | VRE Phase 3 Tools - Extension |
Organisation | Jisc |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | |
End | 01/2012 |
Description | Video Conversion for X-Ray Data: Virtual Research Environment (ViCoX) |
Amount | £20,807 (GBP) |
Funding ID | VRE Phase 3 Tools - Extension |
Organisation | Jisc |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start |
Title | CCP Forge |
Description | CCPForge started its life a collaborative software development environment tool for the Collaborative Computational Projects (CCP) community but now it has now broaden it scope to all UK computational research and development projects. There currently are 136 active projects with 2473 active users |
Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Brought together a community of researchers who now organise meetings, workshops and training events, generated 10 wiki pages |
URL | https://ccpforge.cse.rl.ac.uk/gf/ |
Title | Data from: A Palaeozoic stem-group to mite harvestmen revealed through integration of phylogenetics and development |
Description | |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2014 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Title | Data from: Metamorphosis revealed: time-lapse three-dimensional imaging inside a living chrysalis |
Description | |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Title | Raw X-Ray Ct Data Of Cfc-Cu_Gs Laser Flash Coupon |
Description | Raw X-Ray CT data for CFC-Cu_GS laser flash coupon. The coupon was manufactured at Politecnico di Torino, Italy (Dr Valentina Casalegno) and X-ray tomography scanning was performed at the Manchester X-ray Imaging Facility, University of Manchester, UK (Dr Llion Evans). This data was used for the publications: - Evans, Ll.M. et al. "Thermal characterisation of ceramic/metal joining techniques for fusion applications using X-ray tomography", Fusion Engineering and Design, Volume 89, Issue 6, June 2014, Pages 826-836, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2014.05.002. - Evans, Ll.M. et al. "Transient Thermal Finite Element Analysis of CFC-Cu ITER Monoblock Using X-ray Tomography Data", Fusion Engineering and Design 2015, DOI: 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2015.04.048. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2015 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Description | Cheltenham Science Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We were part of the DinoZone and showed how light based technologies were used to examine fossils.Nearly 14,000 visitors came through and many people stopped and said "wow" as they walked in before getting involved. We made a Lego model of a synchrotron where children (or adults) could insert balls and turn it on so the electron (balls) go round the ring A game where children rolled ball bearings rolled down a ramp and changed their trajectory using magnets. This simulates how electrons are bent round the ring in a synchrotron. They won a sweet if they can control the ball to hit a target. We have a video touchscreen kiosk that will run Dristhi Prayog software. This is a "public space ready" interface that allows users to interface with the 3D data generated by X-ray CT and synchrontrons. It has content showing data from fossils and archaeological human remains which have been scanned by X-ray CT |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
URL | http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/science/science-in-the-square/dinozone/ |
Description | Organised Chaos |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Seven teachers from local primary schools came to meet with researchers to get ideas for communicating science in the class room |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Pi session |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The Museum of Science and Industry ran a special weekend event focusing on light based science and technologies. We took several interactive activities for the public to get involved with and learn about how synchrontrons and X-rays are used in material science. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |
Description | Science into Drama |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | CBBC factual/entertainment development team and CBBC drama team came to the university and met with 7 academics in materials science. They wanted to know the potential impact of research being done today would have on the world/society in 50 years time. The CBBC representatives were so inspired by the conversations that they would like to organise a much wider search for new ideas with the region's universities.Discussions are ongoing as to how CBBC can tap into experts from a range of STEM areas who could inspire 8-12 year olds. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |