Probing the internal geometry of a woven composite during deformation using an x-ray microdiffraction imaging technique

X-ray diffraction is an important tool for studying multiphase materials because it can resolve parameters from each phase independently. When coupled with a high-flux, microfocussed x-ray beam, scanning microdiffraction experiments are possible. This letter reports on the use of this technique to image a fiber reinforced composite with a complex woven lamina geometry. These systems are difficult to study with other experimental techniques because the fibers are inaccessible and the matrix is often opaque. However, microfocused x-ray diffraction reveals how macroscopic load affects the weave microgeometry by reorienting the embedded fibers. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.