High-Resolution X-ray CT for Quantitative Image Analysis: Extracting More from Complex Microstructures

Three-dimensional micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) has been widely used in the automotive and related industries for decades as a quantitative 3D metrology tool with well-defined accuracy and repeatability. Micro-CT, also referred to as 3D X-ray microscopy (XRM), has likewise been employed as a qualitative 3D imaging technique in academic institutions and industrial research laboratories. Traditional applications include porosity characterization, failure analysis, fiber orientation measurement, particle size analysis, and other materials investigations.

Recent advances in acquisition speed, spatial resolution, software capabilities, and computational power have significantly expanded the range of applications for XRM. As a result, XRM is increasingly evolving into a quantitative, repeatable, and non-destructive 3D research tool for complex materials and devices.

Using two case studies, a controlled-release oral tablet containing an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), this presentation highlights the current state of the art in 3D measurement, image analysis, and predictive modeling enabled by modern XRM technology.