ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JULY/AUGUST 2025 5 RESEARCH TRACKS 3D X-RAY MICROSCOPY FOR SMALLER LABS According to research led by the University of Michigan, it is now possible to study the microstructures of metals, ceramics, and rocks with x-rays in a standard laboratory rather than using a particle accelerator. The new technique makes 3D x-ray diffraction (3DXRD) more accessible, enabling faster sample analysis in both academia and industry. While synchrotron x-ray beams pro- duce state-of-the-art detail, only about 70 facilities exist worldwide. Projects often must wait between six months and two years to run experiments, which are limited to a six-day maximum. To make the new technique more available, the team worked with Proto Manufacturing to build the first lab-scale 3DXRD. Previously, smallscale devices could not produce enough x-rays for 3DXRD because at a certain point, the electron beam pumps so much power into the anode that it would melt. Lab-3DXRD leverages a liquid-metal-jet anode that is already liquid at room temperature, allowing it to take in more power and produce more x-rays than once possible at this scale. The team tested their design by scanning the same titanium alloy sample using three methods: lab-3DXRD, synchrotron-3DXRD, and laboratory dif- fraction contrast tomography. Lab-3DXRD was highly accurate, with 96% of the crystals it picked up overlapping with the other two methods. “Lab-3DXRD is like a nice backyard telescope while synchrotron-3DXRD is the Hubble Telescope. There are still certain situations where you need the Hubble, but we are now well prepared for those big experiments because we can try everything out beforehand,” says Ashley Bucsek, assistant professor. umich.edu. NANOSCALE VIEW OF SHARK SKELETON Sharks develop skeletons from a tough, mineralized form of cartilage. Their spines act like natural springs, allowing them to move through the water with powerful grace. Now, scientists at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) are studying shark skeletons at the nanoscale, revealing a microscopic “sharkitecture” that helps these predators withstand the extreme physical demands of constant motion. Using synchrotron x-ray nanotomo- graphy with detailed 3D imaging and in situ mechanical testing, the team, in collaboration with the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY) and NOAA Fisheries, mapped the internal structure of blacktip sharks in new detail. Results of the study reveal two distinct regions within the blacktip shark’s mineralized cartilage: the corpus calcareum and the intermediale. In both regions, mineralized plates are arranged in porous structures, reinforced by thick struts that help the skeleton withstand strain from multiple directions. At the nanoscale, researchers observed tiny needle-like bioapatite crystals aligned with strands of collagen. “After hundreds of millions of years of evolution, we can now finally see how shark cartilage works at the nanoscale—and learn from them,” says researcher Marianne Porter. fau.edu. The DOE’s Idaho National Laboratory and Missouri University of Science and Technology signed a new agreement aimed at advancing research and education. The goal is to collaborate on R&D projects of mutual interest, including integrated energy systems, advanced nuclear reactors, electric power and grid systems, and advanced materials for extreme environments. inl.gov, mst.edu. BRIEF Ashley Bucsek (left) and her team are using 3D x-ray diffraction to study polycrystalline materials on campus. Intermediale cartilage of a blacktip shark. Arrows highlight the internal mineralized network that reinforces the structure.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTYyMzk3NQ==