X-ray tomography of damage dynamics in advanced materials using a laser wakefield accelerator
Additively manufactured (AM) metals offer the potential for customizable, cost-effective components, but qualification and certification are crucial. Key to this process is understanding pore dynamics under stress, typically analyzed using micro-computed tomography. This study introduces laboratory-scale “betatron” x-rays from laser wakefield acceleration as a high-throughput alternative for x-ray tomography of advanced materials, such as AM AlSi10Mg alloys. Coupled with 3D finite element modeling, this method provides detailed insights into stress-porosity interactions. The approach delivers high-resolution scans, revealing that pore shape and local triaxiality significantly influence fracture dynamics, supporting advanced material characterization. This work also demonstrates the potential and versatility of laser-betatron x-ray $$\upmu$$CT for generating large datasets to accelerate our understanding of the stochastic, process-specific nature of pore formation in AM alloys.
Authors
- N. F. Beier (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2723-4056)
- Jason W. Moore (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7237-9895)
- Michael Lipsett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9248-1945)
- S. Fourmaux (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0754-7338)
- Vigneshvar Senthilkumaran
- Joël Maltais
- Tait Richards
- Le Zhou
- Alvaro R. Arce-Borkent
- Peter Kenesei
- Amina E. Hussein
- Sean Dobson
Institutions
- Marquette University (US)
- Argonne National Laboratory (US)
- University of Alberta (CA)
- Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (CA)
- American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Published
- 2026-04-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-47926-4
- Primary Topic
- Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- U.S. Department of Energy
- Marquette University
- Ministère de l'Économie, de l’Innovation et des Exportations du Québec
- University of Alberta
- Canada Research Chairs
- University of Waterloo
- Alberta Innovates
- Office of Science
- Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
- Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation
- Fusion Energy Sciences
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory