High-resolution betatron X-ray imaging of porosity evolution in additively manufactured alloys

Laser Wakefield Accelerators (LWFA) are employed to accelerate electrons to 100s of MeV-GeV energies and produce an intense coherent source of broadband keV X-rays via the betatron motion of the accelerating electrons. The present work aims to apply betatron X-rays for high-resolution, high-throughput 3D tomography of defect dynamics and porosity evolution in traditionally and additively manufactured aluminium alloys. The high-stability LWFA X-ray beamline at the Advanced Laser Light Source in Varennes, Canada will be utilized to examine the effect of loading direction and stress triaxiality on porosity evolution in AlSi10Mg alloys generally used in aerospace and automotive engineering. High-resolution X-ray tomography of material deformation will provide porosity evolution curves needed to validate models of ductile fracture in traditionally and additively manufactured alloys. Laser-driven X-ray imaging will facilitate high-throughput data collection, accelerating the characterization of complex mechanical processes in additively manufactured materials.