Applications & case studies

Over the past year, numerous users from across the University of Sheffield, externally, and from industry have had access to our XRM facilities; here we have compiled a range of applications and case studies which show off how useful XRM is for a complete range of sample types at various scales and resolutions.

While we are jointly shared with the Department of Material Science and Engineering and Mechanical Engineering and so naturally the majority of our applications are focussed on these, we are open to a complete spectrum of scientific disciplines across engineering, biology, geology, geography, physics, archaeology, etc.

Please get in touch if you would like to find out more, or use our equipment.


Insulating materials

Sample owner: Dan Allwood

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel Size: 1.4 μm

Field of View: 1.42 mm cubed

Dept: Materials Science and Engineering, TUoS

Soldered joint

Sample owner: Dan Luo & Russell Goodall

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 2.83 μm

Field of view: 2.8 mm cubed; sample 1 mm diameter

Dept: Materials Science and Engineering, TUoS

Fibre reinforced polymer

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 2 μm

Field of view:2 mm cubed

Dept: Materials Science and Engineering, TUoS


Carboniferous Millstone Grit from Stanage Edge, Peak District

Sample owner & visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 6.28 μm

Field of View: 6.5 x 6.5 mm

Dept: Materials Science and Engineering, TUoS

Stick of rock from Whitby

Sample owner & visualisation by: Ria Mitchell; Ria was runner up in the RMS imaging competition 2021 with this entry


Connectivity modelling in 3D printed metal foam

Sample owner: Allan Liu

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 25.7 μm

Field of view: 26 x 26 mm

Dept: Mechanical Engineering, TUoS

Machining of composites - cracking induced damage, crack thickness measurements

Sample owner: Sam Ashworth

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 14.1 μm

Field of view: 15 mm cubed

Dept: Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), TUoS

Mouse tibia

Sample owner: Enrico Dall'Ara and Bryant Roberts

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 3.5 μm; 4 scans vertically stitched together

Field of view: 2.5 mm cubed

Dept: Bone Biomechanics group, Skeletal laboratory, MULTISIM project, TUoS

Additive Manufactured 3D printed polymers - porosity analysis

Sample owner: Candice Majewski

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 8.12 μm

Field of view: 8.7 mm cubed

Dept: Mechanical Engineering, TUoS

Battery electrode particles

Sample owner: Laura Wheatcroft

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 0.38 μm

Field of view: 400 μm cubed

Dept: Materials Science and Engineering, TUoS

Chondrule from Woodmancote Meteorite - fall in the UK, February 2021

Sample owner: Collaboration with the British Astronomical Association, Derek Robson

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 1.57 μm

Field of view: 1.7 mm cubed

Dept: Across Materials Science and Engineering and Biomedical Science, TUoS

Carbon fibre composites - 2D section

Sample owner: Busra Karas

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 1.5 μm

Field of view: 1.5 x 1.5 mm

Dept: Mechanical Engineering, TUoS

Li ion pouch battery cell (small section)

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 3.89 μm

Field of view: 3.9 mm cubed

Dept: Mechanical Engineering, TUoS

Machined carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRPs)

Visualisation by: Marius Monoranu

Voxel size: 2.5 μm

Field of view: 2.5 mm cubed

Depts: Mechanical Eng., Materials Science and Eng., AMRC - TUoS

Publication here

Cement

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 5 μm

Field of view: 5 mm cubed

Dept. Materials Science and Engineering, TUoS

Treated molar

Sample owner: Adrian Jowett

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 30 μm

Field of view: 30 mm cubed

School of Clinical Dentistry, TUoS

Zebra Fish Skull


Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 7 μm

Field of view: 7 mm cubed

Infection, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease, TUoS

AAA Battery

Sample provided by: Nik Reeves-McLaren

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 14 μm - 6 scans vertically stitched together

Dept: Materials Science and Engineering, TUoS


Carbon Fibre composites

Visualisation by: Ria Mitchell

Voxel size: 500 nm

Depts. Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, TUoS