Principal Investigator Boris Khaykovich
Neutrons are especially sensitive to light elements such as hydrogen. Consequently, neutron radiography is used to measure water distribution in roots of growing plants or in very thin membranes enclosed inside working fuel cells. Based on our development of the neutron focusing optics, a novel neutron microscope is under construction at NIST Center for Neutron Research. The microscope will allow high-resolution neutron imaging studies of engineering materials and devices, such as irradiated nuclear fuel, fuel cells and batteries, and magnetic materials.
At the same time, an X-ray microtomography instrument is being developed at the novel compact X-ray source, which will be operational at MIT in 2016.