Neutron Radiographic Inspection of Composite and Composite-Metal Structures

Abstract

The use of neutron radiography for nondestructive inspection of a variety of composite and mixed composite/metal structures is being explored. Radiographic data are presented in this paper which illustrate the sensitivity of nonreactor neutron sources for imaging defects in laboratory specimens of complex, difficult-to-inspect structures. In some cases neutron radiography provides a direct complement to x-ray inspection, with resin porosity being imaged by the neutrons and the fiber distribution patterns being imaged by x-ray. In other cases, such as those involving complex adhesively bonded composite/metal structures, neutron radiography provides the only existing accurate and reliable method of imaging certain types of bondline deficiencies.