Abstract
This paper reports the analysis of a single crystal copper rod aiming to characterize the microstructural features related to the homogeneity of the single crystal growth and the presence, shape and extension of spatially distributed misaligned grains or areas. The analytical method used for such analysis is wavelength scan neutron radiography and monochromatic neutron tomography. Such methods allow determination of the extent of differently oriented single crystal areas, identifying the most part of the rod volume as a single domain. It was also possible to characterize the spatial distribution and the degree of alignment of local point-like or extended defects.
Highlights
The analysis of microstructure of metal artefacts is an important branch of material characterization since many mechanical and thermal properties strongly depend on the microscopic characteristics within a metal specimen
Neutron methods offer a wide range of diagnostic results ranging from quantitative multiphase analysis [1], residual stress distribution [2,3,4], domain size and defect density, obtained through neutron diffraction [5,6], to microstructural morphological details as domain size, presence of re-crystallization phenomena, presence and distribution of texture obtained through white beam and monochromatic neutron imaging [7,8]
Image analysis provided several interesting features related to the microcrystalline structure of the single crystal copper rod
Summary
The analysis of microstructure of metal artefacts is an important branch of material characterization since many mechanical and thermal properties strongly depend on the microscopic characteristics within a metal specimen. When it is important to verify the microstructural conditions of re-crystallized metal samples, i.e., to study special thermal treatments or multiple thermal cycles, it is quite important to exploit a non-invasive technique able to provide a mapping of single crystal domain size, distribution and orientation. Monochromatic neutron imaging scan is, probably, the most powerful non-invasive tool able to provide a spatial map of oligocrystals, including their size, shape and distribution within metal samples. We analysed a high purity copper rod that was thermally treated by selective heat blade melting to re-crystallize as a single crystal by using neutron wavelength selective scanning radiography and monochromatic neutron tomography at selected wavelengths
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