3DXRD microscopy - a comparison with neutron diffraction

3DXRD microscopy is a novel tool for fast and non-destructive characterisation of the individual grains and sub-grains inside bulk materials (powders or polycrystals). The method is based on diffraction with hard X-rays (E > 50 keV), enabling 3D studies of millimeter to centimeter-thick specimens. The position, volume, orientation, and elastic strain can be determined in hundreds of grains simultaneously. Furthermore, the evolution of the plastic strain can be characterised from grain rotations. Likewise, for coarse-grained materials, the topography of the grain boundaries can be mapped. The status of the technique is presented and the potential for in situ processing studies illustrated. The hard-X-ray method is compared to conventional neutron-diffraction techniques: texture and strain measurements, small-angle scattering, and in situ powder diffraction.