Image segmentation and analysis for densification mapping of nanoporous gold after nanoindentation

Abstract Segmentation of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images focused ion beam (FIB) cross-sections through indented regions in nanoporous gold (np-Au) is carried out. A key challenge for image analysis open porous materials the appropriate binarization pore and ligament while excluding material lying below cross-sectional plane. Here, a manual approach to thresholding compared global local approaches. The resulted excessive deviations from nominal solid fraction, due strong gray-scale gradient caused by tilt angle during imaging shadowing. In contrast, delivered fractions that were free gradients, quality comparable segmentation. extracted densification profiles vertically indenter as well parallel surface showed an exponential-type decay tip towards value 1 far indenter. Graphic abstract