Characterization of open-cell sponges via magnetic resonance and X-ray tomography

Gabriele M. Cimmarusti; Abhishek Shastry; Matthieu N. Boone; Veerle Cnudde; Karl Braeckman; Anju D. M. Brooker; Eric S. J. Robles; Melanie M. Britton

doi:10.3390/ma14092187

Characterization of open-cell sponges via magnetic resonance and X-ray tomography

Gabriele M. Cimmarusti, Abhishek Shastry, Matthieu N. Boone, Veerle Cnudde, Karl Braeckman, Anju D. M. Brooker, Eric S. J. Robles, Melanie M. Britton

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

95 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The applications of polymeric sponges are varied, ranging from cleaning and filtration to medical applications. The specific properties of polymeric foams, such as pore size and connectivity, are dependent on their constituent materials and production methods. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray micro-computed tomography (µCT) offer complementary information about the structure and properties of porous media. In this study, we employed MRI, in combination with µCT, to characterize the structure of polymeric open-cell foam, and to determine how it changes upon compression, µCT was used to identify the morphology of the pores within sponge plugs, extracted from polyurethane open-cell sponges. MRI T ₂ relaxation maps and bulk T ₂ relaxation times measurements were performed for 7 ^◦ dH water contained within the same polyurethane foams used for µCT. Magnetic resonance and µCT measurements were conducted on both uncompressed and 60% compressed sponge plugs. Compression was achieved using a graduated sample holder with plunger. A relationship between the average T ₂ relaxation time and maximum opening was observed, where smaller maximum openings were found to have a shorter T ₂ relaxation times. It was also found that upon compression, the average maximum opening of pores decreased. Average pore size ranges of 375–632 ± 1 µm, for uncompressed plugs, and 301–473 ± 1 µm, for compressed plugs, were observed. By determining maximum opening values and T ₂ relaxation times, it was observed that the pore structure varies between sponges within the same production batch, as well as even with a single sponge.

Original language	English
Article number	2187
Journal	Materials
Volume	14
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14092187
Publication status	Published - 24 Apr 2021

Bibliographical note

Funding information: This research was funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme for funding under grant No. 722871 in the scope of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie action ITN BioClean. The Ghent University Special Research Fund (BOF-UGent) is acknowledged for the financial support to the Centre of Expertise UGCT (BOF.EXP.2017.007). The authors also thank the University of Birmingham and the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC grant EP/K039245/1) for financial support.

Keywords

Cleaning
MRI
Maximum opening
Open-cell foam
Polyurethane
Pore size
T relaxation
µCT
cleaning
pore size
T2 relaxation
maximum opening
polyurethane
open-cell foam

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Condensed Matter Physics
Materials Science(all)

Access to Document

10.3390/ma14092187Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

CimmarustiG2021Characterization
Cimmarusti, G.M. et al., 2021. Characterization of Open-Cell Sponges via Magnetic Resonance and X-ray Tomography. Materials, 14(9), p.2187. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ma14092187.
Final published version, 3.94 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC BY)

H2020_ITN_BIOCLEAN_Partner
Fryer, P. & Britton, M.
European Commission, European Commission - Management Costs
1/10/16 → 30/09/20
Project: Research
Chemistry at Birmingham: a Response to the EPSRC Call: Core Capability for Chemistry Research
Simpkins, N., Anderson, P., Britton, M., Bunch, J., Preece, J. & Slater, P.
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council
1/01/13 → 31/03/13
Project: Research

Research data supporting the publication "Characterization of Open-Cell Sponges via Magnetic Resonance and X-ray Tomography"
Cimmarusti, G. (Creator), Shastry, A. (Creator), Boone, M. N. (Creator), Cnudde, V. (Creator), Braeckman, K. (Creator), Brooker, A. (Creator), Robles, E. S. J. (Creator) & Britton, M. (Creator), University of Birmingham, 10 May 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25500/edata.bham.00000648
Dataset

Cite this

@article{b5748611a6de484282a85ad2fec4890b,

title = "Characterization of open-cell sponges via magnetic resonance and X-ray tomography",

abstract = "The applications of polymeric sponges are varied, ranging from cleaning and filtration to medical applications. The specific properties of polymeric foams, such as pore size and connectivity, are dependent on their constituent materials and production methods. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray micro-computed tomography (µCT) offer complementary information about the structure and properties of porous media. In this study, we employed MRI, in combination with µCT, to characterize the structure of polymeric open-cell foam, and to determine how it changes upon compression, µCT was used to identify the morphology of the pores within sponge plugs, extracted from polyurethane open-cell sponges. MRI T 2 relaxation maps and bulk T 2 relaxation times measurements were performed for 7 ◦ dH water contained within the same polyurethane foams used for µCT. Magnetic resonance and µCT measurements were conducted on both uncompressed and 60% compressed sponge plugs. Compression was achieved using a graduated sample holder with plunger. A relationship between the average T 2 relaxation time and maximum opening was observed, where smaller maximum openings were found to have a shorter T 2 relaxation times. It was also found that upon compression, the average maximum opening of pores decreased. Average pore size ranges of 375–632 ± 1 µm, for uncompressed plugs, and 301–473 ± 1 µm, for compressed plugs, were observed. By determining maximum opening values and T 2 relaxation times, it was observed that the pore structure varies between sponges within the same production batch, as well as even with a single sponge. ",

keywords = "Cleaning, MRI, Maximum opening, Open-cell foam, Polyurethane, Pore size, T relaxation, µCT, cleaning, pore size, T2 relaxation, maximum opening, polyurethane, open-cell foam",

author = "Cimmarusti, {Gabriele M.} and Abhishek Shastry and Boone, {Matthieu N.} and Veerle Cnudde and Karl Braeckman and Brooker, {Anju D. M.} and Robles, {Eric S. J.} and Britton, {Melanie M.}",

note = "Funding information: This research was funded by European Union{\textquoteright}s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme for funding under grant No. 722871 in the scope of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie action ITN BioClean. The Ghent University Special Research Fund (BOF-UGent) is acknowledged for the financial support to the Centre of Expertise UGCT (BOF.EXP.2017.007). The authors also thank the University of Birmingham and the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC grant EP/K039245/1) for financial support.",

year = "2021",

month = apr,

day = "24",

doi = "10.3390/ma14092187",

language = "English",

volume = "14",

journal = "Materials",

issn = "1996-1944",

publisher = "MDPI",

number = "9",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Characterization of open-cell sponges via magnetic resonance and X-ray tomography

AU - Cimmarusti, Gabriele M.

AU - Shastry, Abhishek

AU - Boone, Matthieu N.

AU - Cnudde, Veerle

AU - Braeckman, Karl

AU - Brooker, Anju D. M.

AU - Robles, Eric S. J.

AU - Britton, Melanie M.

N1 - Funding information: This research was funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme for funding under grant No. 722871 in the scope of the Marie Sklodowska-Curie action ITN BioClean. The Ghent University Special Research Fund (BOF-UGent) is acknowledged for the financial support to the Centre of Expertise UGCT (BOF.EXP.2017.007). The authors also thank the University of Birmingham and the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC grant EP/K039245/1) for financial support.

PY - 2021/4/24

Y1 - 2021/4/24

N2 - The applications of polymeric sponges are varied, ranging from cleaning and filtration to medical applications. The specific properties of polymeric foams, such as pore size and connectivity, are dependent on their constituent materials and production methods. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray micro-computed tomography (µCT) offer complementary information about the structure and properties of porous media. In this study, we employed MRI, in combination with µCT, to characterize the structure of polymeric open-cell foam, and to determine how it changes upon compression, µCT was used to identify the morphology of the pores within sponge plugs, extracted from polyurethane open-cell sponges. MRI T 2 relaxation maps and bulk T 2 relaxation times measurements were performed for 7 ◦ dH water contained within the same polyurethane foams used for µCT. Magnetic resonance and µCT measurements were conducted on both uncompressed and 60% compressed sponge plugs. Compression was achieved using a graduated sample holder with plunger. A relationship between the average T 2 relaxation time and maximum opening was observed, where smaller maximum openings were found to have a shorter T 2 relaxation times. It was also found that upon compression, the average maximum opening of pores decreased. Average pore size ranges of 375–632 ± 1 µm, for uncompressed plugs, and 301–473 ± 1 µm, for compressed plugs, were observed. By determining maximum opening values and T 2 relaxation times, it was observed that the pore structure varies between sponges within the same production batch, as well as even with a single sponge.

AB - The applications of polymeric sponges are varied, ranging from cleaning and filtration to medical applications. The specific properties of polymeric foams, such as pore size and connectivity, are dependent on their constituent materials and production methods. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and X-ray micro-computed tomography (µCT) offer complementary information about the structure and properties of porous media. In this study, we employed MRI, in combination with µCT, to characterize the structure of polymeric open-cell foam, and to determine how it changes upon compression, µCT was used to identify the morphology of the pores within sponge plugs, extracted from polyurethane open-cell sponges. MRI T 2 relaxation maps and bulk T 2 relaxation times measurements were performed for 7 ◦ dH water contained within the same polyurethane foams used for µCT. Magnetic resonance and µCT measurements were conducted on both uncompressed and 60% compressed sponge plugs. Compression was achieved using a graduated sample holder with plunger. A relationship between the average T 2 relaxation time and maximum opening was observed, where smaller maximum openings were found to have a shorter T 2 relaxation times. It was also found that upon compression, the average maximum opening of pores decreased. Average pore size ranges of 375–632 ± 1 µm, for uncompressed plugs, and 301–473 ± 1 µm, for compressed plugs, were observed. By determining maximum opening values and T 2 relaxation times, it was observed that the pore structure varies between sponges within the same production batch, as well as even with a single sponge.

KW - Cleaning

KW - MRI

KW - Maximum opening

KW - Open-cell foam

KW - Polyurethane

KW - Pore size

KW - T relaxation

KW - µCT

KW - cleaning

KW - pore size

KW - T2 relaxation

KW - maximum opening

KW - polyurethane

KW - open-cell foam

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85105481468&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/ma14092187

DO - 10.3390/ma14092187

M3 - Article

C2 - 33923267

SN - 1996-1944

VL - 14

JO - Materials

JF - Materials

IS - 9

M1 - 2187

ER -

Characterization of open-cell sponges via magnetic resonance and X-ray tomography

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

H2020_ITN_BIOCLEAN_Partner

Chemistry at Birmingham: a Response to the EPSRC Call: Core Capability for Chemistry Research

Datasets

Research data supporting the publication "Characterization of Open-Cell Sponges via Magnetic Resonance and X-ray Tomography"

Cite this