Tracking the phase transformation and microstructural evolution of Sn anode using operando synchrotron X-ray energy-dispersive diffraction and X-ray tomography

Tin(Sn)holds great promise as an anode material for next-generation lithium(Li)ion batteries but suffers from massive volume change and poor cycling performance.To clarify the dynamic chemical and microstructural evolution of Sn anode during lithiation and delithiation,synchrotron X-ray energydispersive diffraction and X-ray tomography are simultaneously employed during Li/Sn cell operation.The intermediate Li-Sn alloy phases during de/lithiation are identified,and their dynamic phase transformation is unraveled which is further correlated with the volume variation of the Sn at particle-and electrode-level.Moreover,we find that the Sn particle expansion/shrinkage induced particle displacement is anisotropic:the displacement perpendicular to the electrode surface(z-axis)is more pronounced compared to the directions(x-and y-axis)along the electrode surface.This anisotropic particle displacement leads to an anisotropic volume variation at the electrode level and eventually generates a net electrode expansion towards the separator after cycling,which could be one of the root causes of mechanical detachment and delamination of electrodes during long-term operation.The unraveled chemical evolution of Li-Sn and deep insights into the microstructural evolution of Sn anode provided here could guide future design and engineering of Sn and other alloy anodes for high energy density Li-and Na-ion batteries.

X-ray tomography study on the structure of the granular random loose packing

Random loose packing is the minimum-density granular packing which can maintain mechanical stability. In this study, x-ray tomography is used to investigate the internal structure of an isotropically prepared random loose packing through a special apparatus to minimize the effect of gravity. It is found that the minimum packing density is around 0.587. The microscopic structural analysis of the packing is also carried out.

Studies of Microstructure of Kernels of Macadamia integrifolia and Its Hybrids through MRI, X-Ray Tomography and Confocal Microscopy

The aim of this study was to apply the existing techniques that enable examination ofmacadamia kernels to provide a better understanding of physico-chemical properties of kernels during postharvest processing. These techniques, such as X-ray tomography, could be applied for quality monitoring in the macadamia industry. The objectives of this study were to investigate the browning centre symptoms that usually occur in macadamia nuts-in-shell. The applied techniques included confocal microscopy, X-ray tomography and magnetic resonance imaging （MRI）. Five different varieties of macadamia nuts （A38, 246, 816, 842 and Daddow） were selected to include distinct characteristics, such as drop pattern and growing location. Analysis of the microstructure of kernels by confocal microscopy showed the distribution of possible brown pigment compounds as well as the distribution of lipids, carbohydrates and proteins inside macadamia cells. Physical properties data, including shell density and seed to volume ratio, were obtained by X-ray tomography. Magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging used in this study showed marked differences in microstructure which indicate that different varieties exhibit different microstructures expressed as fraction ofanisotropy and apparent diffusion coefficient that appear to be related to the occurrence of the brown centre. Hence, the findings of this study have potential to improve the existing postharvest techniques used in the macadamia processing industry. They will be of benefit to the industry in terms of improved quality control and cost reduction.

Fast synchrotron X-ray tomography study of the packing structures of rods with different aspect ratios

We present a fast synchrotron X-ray tomography study of the packing structures of rods with different aspect ratios. Utilizing the high flux of the X-rays generated from the third-generation synchrotron source, we can complete a high- resolution tomography scan within a short period of time, after which the three-dimensional （3D） packing structure can be obtained for the subsequent structural analysis. The image phase-retrieval procedure has been implemented to enhance the image contrast. We systematically investigated the effects of particle shape and aspect ratio on the structural properties including packing density and contact number. It turns out that large aspect ratio rod packings will have wider distributions of free volume fraction and larger mean contact numbers.

Soft X-ray Tomography and Sawtooth Oscillations during IBW in HT-7 Tokamak

Tomographic reconstructions of soft x-ray emissivity in the HT-7 tokamak have been obtained using 86 miniature soft-x-ray detectors. Because there are two-detector arrays which are distributed in horizontal and vertical directions on one poloidal plane, two-dimensional images of x-ray emissivity are obtained without having resort to a rotational model. The algorithm of Fourier-Bessel expansion was employed. The data analysed so far have been used principally to study MHD instabilities, and the illustrative examples of the sawtooth crash in IBW-heated plasma are described.

A machine learning-based strategy for predicting the mechanical strength of coral reef limestone using X-ray computed tomography

Different sedimentary zones in coral reefs lead to significant anisotropy in the pore structure of coral reef limestone(CRL),making it difficult to study mechanical behaviors.With X-ray computed tomography(CT),112 CRL samples were utilized for training the support vector machine(SVM)-,random forest(RF)-,and back propagation neural network(BPNN)-based models,respectively.Simultaneously,the machine learning model was embedded into genetic algorithm(GA)for parameter optimization to effectively predict uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of CRL.Results indicate that the BPNN model with five hidden layers presents the best training effect in the data set of CRL.The SVM-based model shows a tendency to overfitting in the training set and poor generalization ability in the testing set.The RF-based model is suitable for training CRL samples with large data.Analysis of Pearson correlation coefficient matrix and the percentage increment method of performance metrics shows that the dry density,pore structure,and porosity of CRL are strongly correlated to UCS.However,the P-wave velocity is almost uncorrelated to the UCS,which is significantly distinct from the law for homogenous geomaterials.In addition,the pore tensor proposed in this paper can effectively reflect the pore structure of coral framework limestone(CFL)and coral boulder limestone(CBL),realizing the quantitative characterization of the heterogeneity and anisotropy of pore.The pore tensor provides a feasible idea to establish the relationship between pore structure and mechanical behavior of CRL.

Soft X-ray Tomography on HT-7

The soft X-ray imaging system on HT-7 is introduced. Fourier-Bessel expansion method is used to reconstruct the soft X-ray emission distribution. Simulation results show that the inversion accuracy is associated with the angular expansion limit and the hot core displacement. In addition, tomographic results of sawtooth oscillations in a typical low hybrid current drive （LHCD） plasma are presented. It is shown that the reconstructions are reliable to analyze the perturbative mode and the evolution.

New flexible CsPbBr_(3)-based scintillator for X-ray tomography

The evolution of lead halide perovskites used for X-ray imaging scintillators has been facilitated by the development of solution-processable semiconductors characterized by large-area,flexible,fast photoresponse.The stability and durability of these new perovskites are insufficient to achieve extended computed tomography scanning times with hard X-rays.In this study,we fabricated a self-assembled CsPbBr_(3)-based scintillator film with a flexible large-area uniform thickness using a new roomtemperature solution-processable method.The sensitivity and responsivity of X-ray photon conversion were quantitatively measured and showed a good linear response relationship suitable for X-ray imaging.We also demonstrated,for the first time,that the self-assembled CsPbBr_(3)-based scintillator has good stability for hard X-ray microtomography.Therefore,such an inexpensive solution-processed semiconductor easily prepared at room temperature can be used as a hard X-ray scintillator and equipped with flexible CsPbBr3-based X-ray detectors.It has great potential in three-dimensional high-resolution phase-contrast X-ray-imaging applications in biomedicine and material science because of its heavy Pb and Br atoms.

In-situ X-ray computed tomography tensile tests and analysis of damage mechanism and mechanical properties in laser powder b e d fused Invar 36 alloy

Laser powder bed fusion(LPBF)is a potential additive manufacturing process to manufacture Invar 36 alloy components with complicated geometry.Whereas it inevitably introduces specific microstructures and pore defects,which will further influence the mechanical properties.Hence,aiming at exploring the LPBF process-related microstructures and pore defects,and especially their influences on the damage mechanism and mechanical properties,Invar 36 alloy was manufactured by LPBF under designed different laser scanning speeds.The microstructure observations reveal that higher scanning speeds lead to equiaxed and short columnar grains with higher dislocation density,while lower scanning speeds result in elongated columnar grains with lower dislocation density.The pore defects analyzed by X-ray computed tomography(XCT)suggest that the high laser scanning speed gives rise to numerous lamellar and large lack-of-fusion(LOF)pores,and the excessively low laser scanning speed produces relatively small keyhole pores with high sphericity.Moreover,the insitu XCT tensile tests were originally performed to evaluate the damage evolution and failure mechanism.Specifically,high laser scanning speed causes brittle fracture due to the rapid growth and coalescence of initial lamellar LOF pores along the scan-ning direction.Low laser scanning speed induces ductile fracture originating from unstable depressions in the surfaces,while metallurgical and keyhole pores have little impact on damage evolution.Eventually,the process-structure-property correlation is established.The presence of high volume fraction of lamel-lar LOF pores,resulting from high scanning speed,leads to inferior yield strength and ductility.Besides,specimens without LOF pores exhibit larger grain sizes and lower dislocation density at decreased scanning speeds,slightly reducing yield strength while slightly enhancing ductility.This understanding lays the foundation for widespread applications of LPBF-processed Invar 36 alloy.

Tomographic reconstruction of the Earth’s magnetosheath from multiple spacecraft:a theoretical study

Following our earlier work on tomographic reconstruction of the magnetosheath soft X-ray emissions with superposed epoch analysis of many images recorded from a single spacecraft we now explore the instantaneous reconstruction of the magnetosheath and magnetopause using a few images recorded simultaneously from a few spacecraft.This work is motivated by the prospect of possibly having two or three soft X-ray imagers in space in the coming years,and that many phenomena which occur at the magnetopause boundary,such as reconnection events and pressure pulse responses,do not lend themselves as well to superposed epoch analysis.If the reconstruction is successful-which we demonstrate in this paper that it can be-this collection of imagers can be used to reconstruct the magnetosheath and magnetopause from a single image from each spacecraft,allowing for high time resolution reconstructions.In this paper we explore the reconstruction using,two,three,and four spacecraft.We show that the location of the subsolar point of the magnetopause can be determined with just two satellites,and that volume emissions of soft X-rays,and the shape of the boundary,can be reconstructed using three or more satellites.

基于X-rayμCT技术的玉米干燥损伤定量研究

应力裂纹是玉米干燥损伤的主要形式,一些微裂纹无法肉眼观察但影响玉米的机械强度、发芽率以及活力等。为此,利用X-rayμCT技术对不同干燥条件下玉米进行扫描,使用深度学习算法分割与胚乳密度相近的胚区域并结合软件对玉米内部物性特征参数进行提取,提出了一种新的玉米内部损伤定量评价方法。结合定量研究结果提出的玉米干燥损伤模型,可为玉米损伤预测提供新思路。

Computed tomography-based nomogram of Siewert type Ⅱ/Ⅲ adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction to predict response to docetaxel, oxaliplatin and S-1

BACKGROUND Neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC)has become the standard care for advanced adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction(AEG),although a part of the patients cannot benefit from NAC.There are no models based on baseline computed tomography(CT)to predict response of Siewert type II or III AEG to NAC with docetaxel,oxaliplatin and S-1(DOS).AIM To develop a CT-based nomogram to predict response of Siewert type II/III AEG to NAC with DOS.METHODS One hundred and twenty-eight consecutive patients with confirmed Siewert type II/III AEG underwent CT before and after three cycles of NAC with DOS,and were randomly and consecutively assigned to the training cohort(TC)(n=94)and the validation cohort(VC)(n=34).Therapeutic effect was assessed by disease-control rate and progressive disease according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(version 1.1)criteria.Possible prognostic factors associated with responses after DOS treatment including Siewert classification,gross tumor volume(GTV),and cT and cN stages were evaluated using pretherapeutic CT data in addition to sex and age.Univariate and multivariate analyses of CT and clinical features in the TC were performed to determine independent factors associated with response to DOS.A nomogram was established based on independent factors to predict the response.The predictive performance of the nomogram was evaluated by Concordance index(C-index),calibration and receiver operating characteristics curve in the TC and VC.RESULTS Univariate analysis showed that Siewert type(52/55 vs 29/39,P=0.005),pretherapeutic cT stage(57/62 vs 24/32,P=0.028),GTV(47.3±27.4 vs 73.2±54.3,P=0.040)were significantly associated with response to DOS in the TC.Multivariate analysis of the TC also showed that the pretherapeutic cT stage,GTV and Siewert type were independent predictive factors related to response to DOS(odds ratio=4.631,1.027 and 7.639,respectively;all P<0.05).The nomogram developed with these independent factors showed an excellent performance to predict response to DOS in the TC and VC(C-index:0.838 and 0.824),with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.838 and 0.824,respectively.The calibration curves showed that the practical and predicted response to DOS effectively coincided.CONCLUSION A novel nomogram developed with pretherapeutic cT stage,GTV and Siewert type predicted the response of Siewert type II/III AEG to NAC with DOS.

Assessing efficacy of standard impregnation techniques on die-cast aluminum alloys using X-ray micro-CT

Utilizing lightweight Al alloys in various industrial applications requires achieving precise pressure tightness and leak requirements.Vacuum pressure impregnation(VPI)with thermosetting polymers is commonly used to address leakage defects in die-cast Al alloys.In this study,the efficacy of the VPI technique in sealing alloy parts was investigated using a combination of nondestructive micro X-ray computed tomography(micro XCT)and a standard leak test.The results demonstrate that the commonly used water leak test is insufficient for determining the sealing performance.Instead,micro XCT shows distinct advantages by enabling more comprehensive analysis.It reveals the presence of a low atomic number impregnates sealant within casting defects,which has low grey contrast and allows for visualizing primary leakage paths in 3D.The effective atomic number of impregnated resin is 6.75 and that of Al alloy is 13.69 by dual-energy X-ray CT.This research findings will contribute to enhancing the standard VPI process parameters and the properties of impregnating sealants to improve quality assurance for impregnation in industrial metals.

Simultaneous fluorescence and Compton scattering computed tomography based on linear polarization X-ray

Purpose To propose a method for simultaneous fluorescence and Compton scattering computed tomography by using linearly polarized X-rays.Methods Monte Carlo simulations were adopted to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method.In the simulations,the phantom is a polytetrafluoroethylene cylinder inside which are cylindrical columns containing aluminum,water,and gold(Au)-loaded water solutions with Au concentrations ranging between 0.5 and 4.0 wt%,and a parallel-hole collimator imaging geometry was adopted.The light source was modeled based on a Thomson scattering X-ray source.The phantom images for both imaging modalities were reconstructed using a maximumlikelihood expectation maximization algorithm.Results Both the X-ray fluorescence computed tomography(XFCT)and Compton scattering computed tomography(CSCT)images of the phantom were accurately reconstructed.A similar attenuation contrast problem for the different cylindrical columns in the phantom can be resolved in the XFCT and CSCT images.The interplay between XFCT and CSCT was analyzed,and the contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR)of the reconstruction was improved by correcting for the mutual influence between the two imaging modalities.Compared with K-edge subtraction imaging,XFCT exhibits a CNR advantage for the phantom.Conclusion Simultaneous XFCT and CSCT can be realized by using linearly polarized X-rays.The synergy between the two imaging modalities would have an important application in cancer radiation therapy.

Time lapse in situ X-ray imaging of failure in structural materials under cyclic loads and extreme environments

Damage evolution characterization and performance evaluation under realistic conditions are essential to ensure reliable operation of critical safety components.However,previous studies focus on the surface detection because of very limited penetration capacity of nondestructive testing facilities.Here,we review the recent progress of material damage mechanism by various in situ testing rigs that are compat-ible with laboratory and synchrotron radiation X-ray facilities.Then,taking metallic alloys and composites as model materials,we demonstrate the unique advantages of in situ X-ray three-dimensional tomography in unveiling complex failure mechanisms,quantifying crack growth driving forces and crack closure phenomena,and elucidating the strengthening/degrading effects from microstructure and environment on structural material degradation.Finally,we also discuss the ongoing direction of in situ multi-scale visualization and characterization with the development of advanced high-energy X-ray facilities,the improvement of in situ devices and sample environments,the demand of high-throughput tests,and the processing and application of massive test data.

基于X-ray CT图像的沥青混合料车辙过程空隙分布评估

X射线计算机断层扫描(X-ray computed tomography,X-ray CT)技术作为一种无损测试方法,已被广泛用于评估沥青混合料中的空隙结构和与空隙有关的病害。基于X-ray CT和图像处理技术,从细观结构层面探讨了车辙变形过程中沥青混合料的空隙结构特征。提出了体积等效球棍模型来表征空隙连通性的变化,用改进的环扇分割变异系数、位置偏心率和球度分别描述了空隙的分布和形状特征。结果表明,车辙对沥青混合料空隙结构的影响机制因混合料类型而异。与密级配沥青混凝土(AC-13)相比,沥青玛蹄脂碎石混合料(SMA-13)中的空隙更加不均匀和离散,尤其是那些体积小于0.01 mm^(3)的空隙。此外,SMA-13中的空隙连通性和分布更容易受到外部荷载的影响,其粗集料在变形过程中往往会产生定向移动进而改变初始位置。尽管车辙变形同时增加了2种混合料中空隙的水平不均匀性,但AC-13的竖向不均匀性减少,而SMA-13的竖向不均匀性增加。加载使AC-13混合料的空隙几何形状变得复杂和分散,而SMA-13则相反,预示着与AC混合料相比,SMA混合料在加载1 h后仍保持抵抗车辙破坏的潜力。总体而言,沥青混合料中空隙的拓扑特征及其在车辙变形过程中的动态响应主要取决于混合料的级配形式。

Insights into the hydrogen evolution reaction in vanadium redox flow batteries:A synchrotron radiation based X-ray imaging study

The parasitic hydrogen evolution reaction(HER)in the negative half-cell of vanadium redox flow batteries(VRFBs)causes severe efficiency losses.Thus,a deeper understanding of this process and the accompanying bubble formation is crucial.This benchmarking study locally analyzes the bubble distribution in thick,porous electrodes for the first time using deep learning-based image segmentation of synchrotron X-ray micro-tomograms.Each large three-dimensional data set was processed precisely in less than one minute while minimizing human errors and pointing out areas of increased HER activity in VRFBs.The study systematically varies the electrode potential and material,concluding that more negative electrode potentials of-200 m V vs.reversible hydrogen electrode(RHE)and lower cause more substantial bubble formation,resulting in bubble fractions of around 15%–20%in carbon felt electrodes.Contrarily,the bubble fractions stay only around 2%in an electrode combining carbon felt and carbon paper.The detected areas with high HER activity,such as the border subregion with more than 30%bubble fraction in carbon felt electrodes,the cutting edges,and preferential spots in the electrode bulk,are potential-independent and suggest that larger electrodes with a higher bulk-to-border ratio might reduce HER-related performance losses.The described combination of electrochemical measurements,local X-ray microtomography,AI-based segmentation,and 3D morphometric analysis is a powerful and novel approach for local bubble analysis in three-dimensional porous electrodes,providing an essential toolkit for a broad community working on bubble-generating electrochemical systems.

Energy spectrum computed tomography multi-parameter imaging in preoperative assessment of vascular and neuroinvasive status in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Vascular and nerve infiltration are important indicators for the progression and prognosis of gastric cancer(GC),but traditional imaging methods have some limitations in preoperative evaluation.In recent years,energy spectrum computed tomography(CT)multiparameter imaging technology has been gradually applied in clinical practice because of its advantages in tissue contrast and lesion detail display.AIM To explore and analyze the value of multiparameter energy spectrum CT imaging in the preoperative assessment of vascular invasion(LVI)and nerve invasion(PNI)in GC patients.METHODS Data from 62 patients with GC confirmed by pathology and accompanied by energy spectrum CT scanning at our hospital between September 2022 and September 2023,including 46 males and 16 females aged 36-71(57.5±9.1)years,were retrospectively collected.The patients were divided into a positive group(42 patients)and a negative group(20 patients)according to the presence of LVI/PNI.The CT values(CT40 keV,CT70 keV),iodine concentration(IC),and normalized IC(NIC)of lesions in the upper energy spectrum CT images of the arterial phase,venous phase,and delayed phase 40 and 70 keV were measured,and the slopes of the energy spectrum curves[K(40-70)]from 40 to 70 keV were calculated.Arterial Core Tip:To investigate the application value of multiparameter energy spectrum computed tomography(CT)imaging in the preoperative assessment of vascular and nerve infiltration in patients with gastric cancer(GC).The imaging data of GC patients were retrospectively analyzed to evaluate the accuracy and sensitivity of CT for identifying and quantifying vascular and nerve infiltration and for comparison with postoperative pathological results.The purpose of this study was to verify the clinical feasibility and potential advantages of multiparameter energy spectrum CT imaging in guiding preoperative diagnosis and treatment decision-making and to provide a new imaging basis for improving the diagnostic accuracy and prognosis of GC patients.

Impact of computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging registration on rehabilitation after percutaneous endoscopic decompression for lumbar stenosis: Retrospective study

BACKGROUND Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar decompression(PELD)shows promise for lumbar spinal stenosis(LSS)treatment,but its use is limited by the disease's complexity and procedural challenges.AIM In this study,the effects of preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance with computed tomography(CT)/magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)registration techniques on PELD for LSS and postoperative rehabilitation outcomes were evaluated.METHODS This retrospective study was conducted with data from patients who underwent PELD for LSS between January 2021 and December 2023.Patients were assigned to preoperative CT/MRI registration and control groups.Data collected included the operative time,length of hospital stay,visual analog scale(VAS)scores for low back and leg pain,and the Japanese Orthopaedic Association(JOA)lumbar spine score.Differences between groups were assessed using Student’s t test.RESULTS Data from 135 patients(71 in the CT/MRI registration group,64 in the control group)were analyzed.The operative time was significantly shorter in the CT/MRI registration group(P=0.007).At 2 months postoperatively,both groups showed significant reductions in VAS leg and low back pain scores(all P<0.001)and improvements in the JOA score(both P<0.001).No complication or death occurred.Preoperatively,pain and JOA scores were similar between groups(P=0.830,P=0.470,and P=0.287,respectively).At 2 months postoperatively,patients in the CT/MRI registration group reported lower leg and low back pain levels(P<0.001 and P=0.001,respectively)and had higher JOA scores(P=0.004)than did patients in the control group.CONCLUSION Preoperative CT/MRI registration for PELD for LSS reduced the operative time and VAS pain scores at 2 months and improved JOA scores,demonstrating enhanced effectiveness and safety.

Importance of computed tomography in posterior malleolar fractures:Added information to preoperative X-ray studies

BACKGROUND Ankle fractures are common lesions of the lower limbs.Approximately 40%of ankle fractures affect the posterior malleolus(PM).Historically,PM osteosynthesis was recommended when PM size in X-ray images was greater than 25%of the joint.Currently,computed tomography(CT)has been gaining traction in the preoperative evaluation of ankle fractures.AIM To elucidate the similarity in dimensions and to correlate PM size in X-ray images with the articular surface of the affected tibial plafond in the axial view on CT(AXCT)of a PM fracture.METHODS Eighty-one patients(mean age:39.4±13.5 years)were evaluated(54.3%were male).Two independent examiners measured PM size in profile X-ray images(PMXR)and sagittal CT(SAGCT)slices.The correlation of the measurements between the examiners and the difference in the PM fragment sizes between the two images were compared.Next,the PM size in PMXR was compared with the surface of the tibial plafond involved in the fracture in AXCT according to the Haraguchi classification.RESULTS The correlation rates between the examiners were 0.93 and 0.94 for PMXR and SAGCT,respectively(P<0.001).Fragments were 2.12%larger in SAGCT than in PMXR(P=0.018).In PMXR,there were 56 cases<25%and 25 cases≥25%.When PMXR was<25%,AXCT corresponded to 10.13%of the tibial plafond.When PMXR was≥25%,AXCT was 24.52%(P<0.001).According to the Haraguchi classification,fracture types I and II had similar PMXR measurements that were greater than those of type III.When analyzing AXCT,a significant difference was found between the three types,with II>I>III(P<0.001).CONCLUSION PM fractures show different sizes using X-ray or CT images.CT showed a larger PM in the sagittal plane and allowed the visualization of the real dimensions of the tibial plafond surface.