Development of novel Moving Wave Front image processing algorithm and microstructural quantification of Tungsten Heavy Alloy

Abstract Tungsten Heavy Alloy (WHA) is used in various aerospace applications. This alloy has a two-phase microstructure with a contiguous matrix dispersed with nearly spherical tungsten particles. The properties of this alloy depend on microstructural parameters such as tungsten particle size, tungsten-matrix and tungsten-tungsten interface. In this work, a novel Moving Wave Front (MWF) image processing algorithm was proposed for automatic detection of the interface boundary between coalesced tungsten particles. MWF algorithm was used to measure the size and orientation of the tungsten-tungsten interface from a two-dimensional montage of backscattered Scanning Electron Microscope images. The bivariate size-orientation distribution was measured for undeformed and deformed samples. The obtained distribution in 2D was used to estimate three dimensional size-orientation distribution. The evolution of the tungsten-tungsten interface in 3D was studied as a function of thermo-mechanical deformation. A characteristic evolution of the 3D size and orientation of the tungsten-tungsten interface with deformation was observed.