Characterization of the morphology of cellular ceramics by 3D image processing of X-ray tomography

X-ray tomography images of different cellular ceramics have been obtained using appropriate tomography setups. The samples exhibited a wide range of cell sizes (mu m to mm) but a narrow range of porous fraction (75-85 vol.%). The images have been processed to retrieve the local fraction of ceramic. The average value of this measurement have been compared with a standard method based on image analysis of optical micrographs. The thickness distribution of both pores and ceramics was also retrieved using three-dimensional (3D) mathematical morphological operation on the images. The average value of these granulometry measurements was compared to optical and electron microscopy measurements. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.