Journey through inner space - Digitalisation in materials research

Abstract

A component is only as good as the materials it is made of. And the quality of those materials depends on their composition and microstructure. Scientists at the DLR Institute of Materials Research use modern imaging techniques to get a picture – in the truest sense of the word – of the three-dimensional microstructure. Using X-ray tomography and focused ion beam serial sectional techniques, the researchers obtain very high-resolution three-dimensional images of the microstructure. From these, they can generate three-dimensional digital models. With relatively little experimental effort, and in a very short time, they can draw conclusions regarding the effect of the microstructure on the properties of a material, which is advantageous for materials developers and component designers.