Good Apart, Great Together: Electron Backscatter Diffraction and X-Ray Diffraction

This article demonstrates the complementary value of combining electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) for materials characterization through two case studies. EBSD provides localized crystallographic information from micron to millimeter-scale areas within a scanning electron microscope, while XRD characterizes larger centimeter-sized regions using a diffractometer, with both techniques capable of revealing texture and phase composition. The first case study examined texture measurements in oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) and non-ODS additively manufactured nickel-based superalloys. The second case study focused on phase identification of desert soil samples serving as lunar analogues for radio frequency property investigations. Together, the studies illustrate how EBSD's site-specific sensitivity and XRD's bulk representativeness create a comprehensive characterization approach where each technique validates and complements the other, ensuring that neither minor phases nor overall composition are overlooked in materials analysis.