X-RISE-M X-ray instrument for the sounding rocket MAPHEUS
With X-ray radiography, a wide range of material processes can be studied in situ. This includes the solidification of metallic melts, or the diffusion dynamics in the liquid phase, and ranges up to structure-dynamics investiations in granular matter. X-RISE-M allows to perform such experiments in weightlessness, on a sounding rocket flight. During weightlessness, unwanted gravitation-driven effects like sedimentation can be systematically excluded.
X-ray imaging is a technique used in medicine to see if an arm is broken, for example. We use the same technique, but for materials research. X-RISE-M consists of an X-ray source (including vacuum pump and electronics), two ovens for heating the samples and two X-ray detectors. The setup is used to investigate diffusion in liquid alloys and the solidification of alloys. Two experiments can be carried out simultaneously. The advantage of X-ray radiography is that the process of diffusion or solidification can be observed directly by taking X-ray images at different points in time. The concentration distribution or growth of the solid phase can then be analyzed with time and spatial resolution. On the ground, experiments with liquid alloys can be disturbed by convection due to buoyancy. Selected experiments are carried out in microgravity on board the MAPHEUS rocket, where there is no buoyancy.
