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Despite concerted efforts to improve the sustainability of the energy sector, combustion of fossil fuels remains one of the largest contributors to the global energy supply. Coal has been a ubiquitous combustible fuel throughout human history, used for direct heating and electricity generation. The ongoing use of coal as an energy source is contentious, primarily due to the level of pollutants generated from coal-burning on an industrial scale. Inhaling coal particulates can cause a host of respiratory problems and diseases, with a significant impact on the lifespan of millions of individuals worldwide.

Quantifying the trace elements in coal and in coal combustion residuals such as bottom and fly ash, slag, and other by-products can support the characterization of concentrated po...

Industrial furnaces are used ubiquitously across multiple industry and scientific sectors around the world. This broad terminology incorporates rugged thermal processing chambers for powder-coating metallic components in manufacturing facilities, laboratory drying ovens used to withdraw moisture from hygroscopic samples, and muffle furnaces for highly pure thermal processing of chemically-sensitive media.

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Construction materials are subject to intense scrutiny from an array of international specifications. Raw materials, intermediates, and finished products must meet pre-defined performance criteria to pass certifications regarding safety and sustainability. If chemical defects are not detected until the end-product stage, significant investment may be required to redress the issue.

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis is widely used in the construction sector to analyze the constituents of building materials and avoid foreseeable costs further down the production line. This process typically involves taking samples of in situ raw materials and intermediate products and processing them through glass bead machines for ultra-precise elemental analysis via an XRF spectrometer.

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