Synchrotron X-ray microtomography

M.E. Coles, R.D. Hazlett, E.L. Muegge, K.W. Jones, B. Andrews, B, Dowd, P. Siddons, A. Peskin, P. Spanne, W. Soil, Developments in synchrotron X-ray microtomography with applications to flow in porous media. SPE Reservoir Evaluation and Engineering, 1998, I, 288-296. 

X-ray microtomography is a new development of great promise for reconstructing, displaying, and analyzing three-dimensional microstructures. Resolution of around 1 pm has been demonstrated with currently available synchrotron sources of x-rays, x-ray detectors, algorithms, and large-scale computers. The potential for microstructural research in composites, porous materials, and suspensions at this and finer scales appears to be tremendous. 

Song SR, Jones K, Lindquist WB, Dowd BA, Sahagian DL (2001) Synchrotron X Ray Computed Microtomography Studies on vesiculated basaltic rocks. J Vole Geotherm Res 63 252-263... 

The microstructure of bread and other microporous foods can be conveniently studied by applying synchrotron radiation X-ray microtomography (X-MT) (Falcone et al., 2004a Maire et al., 2003) to centimeter- or millimeter-sized samples (Lim and Barigou, 2004). X-MT application only requires the presence of areas of morphological or mass density heterogeneity in the sample materials. The use of this technique for food microstructure detection is of recent date. It was traditionally used for the analysis of bone quality (Peyrin et al., 1998, 2000 Ritman et al., 2002). 

In this chapter, we discuss synchrotron X-ray microprobe and microtomography instrumentation, practical aspects of pXRF, pXAFS and microtomography, and examples of applications to earth and environmental materials. Other discussions of synchrotron-based microprobe and microtomography techniques can be found in the following references Dunsmuir et al. 1991 Janssens et al. 1993 Sutton et al. 1994 Schulze and Bertsch 1995 Smith and Rivers 1995 Jones et al. 1997 Sutton and Rivers 1999 Rivers et al. 1999 Bertsch and Hunter 2001 Baker 2002. 

Sutton SR, Rivers ML (1999) Hard X-ray synchrotron microprobe techniques and applications. In Synchrotron Methods in Clay Science. CMS Workshop Lectures Vol. 9. Schulze DG, Stucki JW, Bertsch PM. (eds). The Clay Mineral Society, Boulder CO, p 146-163 Sutton SR, Flynn G, Rivers M, Newville M, Eng P (2000) X-ray fluorescence microtomography of individual interplanetary dust particles. Lunar Planet Sci XXXI 1857 Sutton SR, Rivers ML, Bajt S, Jones KW, Smith JV (1994) Synchrotron X-ray-fluorescence microprobe-a microanalytical instrument for trace element studies in geochemistry, cosmochemistry, and the soil and environmental sciences. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res A 347 412-416 Suzuki Y, Awaji M, Kohmura Y, Takeuchi A, Takano H, Kamijo N, Tamura S, Yasumoto M, Handa (2001) X-ray microbeam with sputtered-shced Fresnel zone plate at SPring-8 undulator beamline. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res A 467-468 951-953... 

In x-ray microtomography, the sample is mounted on a rotation stage and exposed to a synchrotron x-ray beam. Absorption images... 

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Report UCRL-50174 sec II revision I Menez B, Simionovici A, PhiUppot P, Bohic S, Gibert F, Chukalina M (2001) X-ray fluorescence microtomography of an individual fluid inclusion using a third generation synchrotron light source. Nucl Instrum Methods Phys Res 181 749-754... 

He then spent three years as a postdoctoral member of the technical staff at AT T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill NJ, where he conducted research of the structure, kinetics, and phase transitions of surfaces and interfaces, using X-ray diffraction. He is currently as Senior Research Scientist in the James Franck Institute and Consortium for Advanced Radiation Sources (CARS) at the University of Chicago. He has been involved in synchrotron radiation research since 1986 and during the past seven years has been involved in the design, construction and operation of the GeoSoilEnviroCARS (GSE)CARS laboratory at the Advanced Photon Source. Here he has applied lower dimensional X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption fine structure, X-ray fluorescence microprobe, microtomography and microcrystallography to study problems in earth and environmental science. 

Abstract This chapter deals with the analytical applications of synchrotron radiation sources for trace-level analysis of materials on microscopic and submicroscopic scales. Elemental analysis with X-ray fluorescence is described in detail. Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) analyses are discussed in their quantitative aspects. Related methods of analysis based on absorption edge phenomena such as X-ray absorption spectrometry (XAS) and near-edge scanning spectrometry (XANES) yielding molecular information, computerized X-ray fluorescence microtomography (XFCT) based on the penetrative character of X-rays, and microscopic X-ray diffraction (XRD) providing structural data on the sample are also briefly discussed. The methodological treatment is illustrated with a number of applications. 

Abbreviations AES, Auger emission spectrometry CRM, Certified reference material DL, Detection limit ED, Energy dispersive ESRF, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility EXAES, Extended X-ray absorption fine structure NEXAFS, Near edge X-ray absorption fine structure PCI, Phase contrast imaging RM, Reference material SR, Synchrotron radiation SRM, Standard reference material TXRF, Total reflection X-ray fluorescence XANES, X-ray absorption near edge structure XAS, X-ray absorption spectrometry XDM, X-ray diffraction microscopy XFCT, X-ray fluorescence computerized microtomography XPEEM, X-ray photoelectron microscopy XPS, X-ray photoelectron spectrometry XRD, X-ray diffraction XRF, X-ray fluorescence... 

Bonse U and Busch F (1996) X-ray computed microtomography (p.CT) using synchrotron radiation, Prog Biophys Molec Bio/65 133-169. 

Bonse U, Busch F. X-ray computed microtomography (microCT) using synchrotron radiation (SR). Prog Biophys Mol Biol 1996 65(1 2) 133-169. 

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