Assessment of Particle Clustering in MMCs by Quantitative Image Analysis

Abstract

In the present paper, work of a preliminary nature pertaining to the development of a simple tool for easy identification of reinforcement clustering in particle-reinforced MMCs is reported. The tool consists of an image processing and analysis routine performed with the aid of a public-domain software. Results obtained were in the form of distribution curves pertaining to the Euclidian distances between particle centroids within sample images. Analysis of that distribution allowed the identification of cluster occurrence. The technique was successfully applied to computer-generated images of virtual MMCs, as well as to micrographs of rheocast MMCs. Apart from particle clustering, the distribution curves were found useful to roughly assess the matrix cell size, for cases where this is significantly higher that the size of the reinforcing particles.