Three-dimensional characterization of pores in Ti-6Al-4V alloy

Abstract

The direct three-dimensional characterization of opaque materials through serial sectioning makes possible to visualize and better quantify a material microstructure, using classical metallographic techniques coupled with computer-aided reconstruction. Titanium alloys are used as biomaterials for bone implants because of its excellent mechanical properties, biocompatibility and enhanced corrosion resistance. The Ti-6Al-4V alloy (in wt. (%)) with porous microstructure permits the ingrowths of new-bone tissues improving the fixation bone/implant. This is important to understand connectivity, morphology and spatial distribution of pores in microstructure. The Ti-6Al-4V alloy compacts were produced by powder metallurgy and sintered at three distinct temperatures (1250, 1400 and 1500 °C) to obtain distinct microstructures in terms of residual porosity. The visualization of the reconstructed 3D microstructure provides a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the porosity of Ti6Al4V alloy (volume fraction and pore morphology).

Consideration of grain packing in granular iron treatability studies

“…This observation is supported by an examination of skeletonized images, which facilitate visualization of the interconnectedness of the pore networks by digitally removing the grains from the images and displaying connected pore throats with lines ( Fig. 5c and d) (Baldissera et al, 2011); the denser network is seen to correspond to the VP case (Fig. 5c).…”

2D and 3D Microstructural Reconstruction of Nodular Cast Iron

“…A branch of mathematics, stereology, gives sound relationships between measures carried out on a planar section and certain threedimensional features, such as volume fraction and interfacial area per unit of volume 5 . When full 3D reconstruction is required, a helpful technique is serial sectioning [6][7][8][9][10] , which measures consecutive planar sections with an approximately constant spacing. Earlier works used "manual" calculation 6,7 , but later works greatly benefitted from computational reconstruction methods using the planar sections as input.…”

Defects in Electron Beam Melted Ti-6Al-4V: Fatigue Life Prediction Using Experimental Data and Extreme Value Statistics

“…Investigations of defects and their distribution have traditionally been carried out on 2D (or composite 3D) images using metallography [ 33 ], with X-ray computed tomography as an increasingly viable option. Recent advances in XCT have facilitated the documentation and analysis of complete 3D defect distributions even though there are limitations, primarily in regards to resolution, due to which certain types and sizes of defects are more difficult to reliably detect than others [ 23 ].…”