High energy proton beams can be introduced into YSZ/NiO mixtures. In this study, digitized image processing was used to analyze the corresponding microstructure in YSZ/NiO mixtures before and after proton irradiation. High-contrast and highresolution back-scattered electron images were processed into binary images using a "threshold" function and noise filtering. Quantitative parameters including volume fraction, size distribution, and interconnectivity were estimated. The results indicated that the energetic protons induced a microstructural change in the YSZ/NiO mixtures. Furthermore, the volume fraction and interconnectivity after proton irradiation was increased compared to the initial un-irradiated state.

Keywords: Proton Irradiation, Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Microstructure, Digital Image Processing, Interconnectivity.