"We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology."
(⇓ Scroll to the bottom for the answer.)
This is a quote from 1989, but it seems more true today. I hope more kids and young people enjoy learning science. I was always one of the nerdy kids who loved science. I wondered why many of my friends disliked it, and they wondered why I liked it so much.
Webinar: Non-Destructive Inspection of Batteries Using X-ray Computed Tomography
Angela presented a webinar on CT analysis of batteries and battery materials last week. If you missed it, you can watch the recording here:
CT can reveal structural deformities and defects and help you non-destructively inspect the alignment of electrodes, separators, and electrolytes. In this webinar, Angela reviewed how to choose the right CT scanner and its settings depending on the objectives of the inspection or analysis. She also shared examples of quantitative evaluations, such as curvature analysis of anode overhang and cathode particle size distribution.
This was part of a webinar series called Beneath the Surface: X-ray Analyses of Battery Materials and Structures, which covers various X-ray analyses used for battery materials and structures from X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) to CT. You can see the recorded and future episodes here:
Last month, we included a teaser video showing a big instrument being carried into our lab in Texas. That was the CT Lab HV, the new X-ray CT scanner Angela and Ted had just installed and started using.
The CT Lab HV is a high-voltage (225 kV) and high-resolution (3-micron spatial resolution) CT scanner for industrial inspection and failure analysis. I asked them what they liked the best about it so far.
Ted: "I like the high voltage that can get through dense materials I couldn't analyze well before."
Anglea: "I like the new challenge of figuring out the overall experiment strategy. Now, I consider a wider range of materials and sample sizes that this scanner can access. The sample mount alone requires different tactics because I can scan larger and heavier samples."
Please let us know if you have any questions about the CT Lab HV. You can reply directly to me or send a message toimaging@rigaku.com.
The role of structural defects in commercial lithium-ion batteries. Cell Reports Physical Science (2021) by Qian et al. This was one of the papers Angela recommended in her webinar about batteries last week. It investigates defects in commercial 18650-type lithium-ion batteries, such as deflected electrodes, impurities, non-uniform packing, and delamination, at different length scales and connects structural defects to performance problems using X-ray CT and SEM. The application examples help you select the right imaging technique that matches the scale of the defects of interest.
Multi-scale characterization of porosity in Boom Clay (HADES-level, Mol, Belgium) using a combination of X-ray m-CT, 2D BIB-SEM and FIB-SEM tomography Microporous and Mesoporous Materials (2015) by Hemes et al. This is another great multi-scale study. The authors used micro-CT, BIB-SEM (broad ion beam SEM), and FIB-SEM (focused ion beam SEM) to study porosity in Boom Clay. In pore network analysis using multi-scale imaging techniques, it is critical to choose the right volume to scan and connect the analysis results from different scans effectively. The authors offered a valuable conclusion that BIB-SEM is essential to bridge 3D observations at the resolutions of micro-CT and FIB-SEM, as well as to optimize the selection of relevant spots for FIB-SEM tomography.
Real Scientists, Not Actors
A collection of priceless and embarrassing moments
Answer: Carl Edward Sagan
American astronomer, planetary scientist, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science communicator, November 9, 1934 – December 20, 1996
"We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology."
That's a wrap. Please let us know how we can help you learn more about X-ray CT. We love to hear from you!
