Nondestructive Structural Investigation of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Fiber Insulation Tile by Synchrotron X-ray In-Line Phase-Contrast Microtomography
Shengkun Yao,
Benxue Liu,
Jing Ren,
Jingwen Liu,
Meili Qi,
Yangjian Cai
Affiliations
Shengkun Yao
Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technical Center of Light Manipulations & Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optics and Photonic Device, School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China
Benxue Liu
Shandong Key Laboratory for Special Silicon-Containing Material, Advanced Materials Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Jinan 250014, China
Jing Ren
Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technical Center of Light Manipulations & Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optics and Photonic Device, School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China
Jingwen Liu
Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technical Center of Light Manipulations & Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optics and Photonic Device, School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China
Meili Qi
School of Traffic and Civil Engineering, Shandong Jiaotong University, Jinan 250357, China
Yangjian Cai
Shandong Provincial Engineering and Technical Center of Light Manipulations & Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Optics and Photonic Device, School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250358, China
Zirconia (ZrO2) aerogels show excellent insulating performance and have been widely applied as a thermal protector in furnaces, nuclear reactors, and spacecraft. The nondestructive determination of their interior microstructure is significant for evaluating their mechanical and insulating performance. In this study, we performed nondestructive structural investigation of an yttria-stabilized ZrO2 fiber insulation tile using synchrotron X-ray in-line phase-contrast microtomography at a pixel resolution of 6.5 µm. Taking advantage of the edge enhancement of phase-contrast imaging, single yttria-stabilized ZrO2 fibers were clearly distinguished; furthermore, interior aggregates were nondestructively observed at this spatial resolution. This work demonstrates the advantages and potential of synchrotron X-ray microtomography for the structural analysis of porous ceramic materials. By combining higher-brilliance synchrotron radiation sources and CCD detectors with higher spatial and temporal resolutions, we anticipate that we can further understand the relationship between aerogel microstructure and function, especially under in-service conditions at high temperatures.
