NOSTrOMO-X Technical Platform
Technical Manager : Bastien WALTER
Scientific Manager : Lucille CARBILLET
Summary
NOSTrOMO-X technical platform
The X-ray tomography technical platform is:
♦ part of the RéGEF network,
♦ Labeled Infra + via the ANATELo platform,
The NOSTrOMO-X technical platform supports academic and industrial partners in their research and development projects by providing expertise and technical resources dedicated to 3D X-ray imaging.
X-ray tomography analyzes the internal structure of a solid sample in a non-destructive manner. It provides a 3D volume reconstruction from a series of grayscale images, reflecting the differences in density of the materials traversed by the beam.
X-ray tomography studies make it possible to explore the characteristics of a sample’s internal structure:
♦ dimensions and shapes,
♦ spatial distribution and proportions of different phases,
♦ presence of heterogeneities and defects (pores, inclusions, mineral phases, etc.).
The platform is equipped with an EasyTom XL X-ray CT scanner (RX Solutions) (see specifications below). The modular configuration of this system, including two X-ray sources and three detectors, allows the accurate inspection of objects of various sizes, ranging from a few millimetres to large specimens measuring several tens of centimetres and weighing several kilograms.
Spatial resolution is typically in the range of 20–40 μm for large samples and can reach 0.5 μm for smaller specimens. These capabilities also enable the installation of in situ experimental devices under X-ray irradiation (geomechanical testing, hydrothermal experimental cells, etc.).
The NOSTrOMO-X platform operates under the following terms of use.
Access fees are charged per half-day of operation and analysis:
– Industrial / private users: €674.04 (excluding VAT) per half day
– Internal / academic users: €449.36 (excluding VAT) per half day
Technical expertises
What are the technical expertises of the X-ray tomography platform?
♦ Non-destructive 3D imaging of materials
♦ Characterization of geological material structures
♦ Automated reconstruction and analysis using deep learning
♦ In-situ experiments using X-rays
♦ Services in X-ray tomography imaging and analysis
♦ Metrology and high-resolution measurements
See all the expertise of Georessources in microscopy and spectroscopies.
Equipments and fundings
♦ The EasyTom XL tomograph (RX Solutions) is a large, modular piece of equipment that can be used to accurately inspect objects of various sizes. It has two high-resolution, high-power X-ray sources:
– a 160 kV nanofocus, enabling high-precision analysis with a resolution of up to 0.4 μm.
– and a 230 kV microfocus, for inspecting denser and thicker samples.
It also has two types of detectors, a flat panel display and a CCD camera, that you can use according to the dimensions and properties of the materials being studied.
The volume and equipment of this tomograph allow the placement and analysis of large objects up to 600 mm in diameter, 720 mm in height, and 80 kg in weight, ensuring stability during acquisitions. These characteristics also allow the installation of devices for X-ray beam experiments.
The system is also equipped with three types of detectors—a flat-panel detector, a CCD camera, and a photon-counting detector—selected according to the dimensions, properties, and intended analyses of the studied materials.
♦ Two high-performance workstations (Linux Ubuntu and Windows) are available to platform users for data visualisation and processing using dedicated software packages (Dragonfly, ImageJ, VGStudio, etc.).
Several organizations helped GeoreSsources to finance the equipment of the platform. Among them are:
How to get to the NOSTrOMO-X technical platform
The X-ray tomography technical platform is at the following address:
Institut Jean Lamour
Campus Artem,
2 Allée André Guinier,
54011 Nancy.
GPS coordinates: 48.672838159816386, 6.171283288356554
Contact
If you would like to contact GeoRessources, please feel free to send us a message by clicking on the link below and filling out the form.
