Multi-energy X-ray imaging as a quantitative method for materials characterization

X-ray imaging is an established method for the characterization of material samples. Two-dimensional, radiographic methods as well as three-dimensional computed tomography are used very successfully in many fields. However both usually have a drawback: They provide only qualitative information rather than quantitatively exact physical properties. Thus a priori information and experience in evaluating the images are necessary to interpret the results. In this paper we present multi-energy X-ray imaging as a quantitative method for material characterization that is applicable for two- and three-dimensional analysis. The method we developed can be used in a classical dual energy approach as well as with newest generation spectral techniques, i.e. energy resolving X-ray detectors.