Latest News
News
Choosing a Flux for XRF Sample Preparation
When performing the fusion method of XRF sample preparation, a flux is a chemical used to dissolve an oxidized sample to produce a fused bead that is free of any mineral structures. Borate fusion is a popular technique and there are a variety of chemicals that can be used as a flux for this method. This blog post will outline some of the factors that should be considered when choosing a flux and the options available.
Flux Considerations
Depending on your application requirements there are various factors that should be considered before selecting a flux.
The purity of the flux can be critical in applications where trace level accuracy is needed. Ensuring high levels of purity is also important to reduce the risk of any sample contamination and back...
What is X-Ray Fluorescence?
X-ray fluorescence is the phenomenon of fluorescent x-rays being emitted from a material that is excited with gamma rays or x-rays. The phenomenon is used as a non-destructive analytical technique to determine the chemistry and material composition of a sample.
The technique is extremely versatile and can be used to analyze a wide range of materials for most of the periodic table. This blog post will discuss x-ray fluorescence in more detail.
How Does X-Ray Fluorescence Work?
X-ray fluorescence works on the process of ionization, which is where an atom receives a positive or negative charge by gaining or losing electrons to form ions. For x-ray fluorescence, atoms within a material may ionize when it is exposed to gamma rays or short wavelength x-r...
Using a Fusion Machine for XRF Sample Preparation
Sample preparation is the process of treating a sample before it is analyzed. For XRF applications, the better a sample is prepared the better and more accurate the results will be.
There are many methods of sample preparation, which all have their own benefits. This blog post will discuss the use of a fusion machine for XRF sample preparation.
Fusion Sample Preparation
For XRF analysis, samples prepared using fusion to form fused beads provide a nearly ideal homogeneous representation of the sample. This is why this method is often considered the best for solids.
Either a gas or electric fusion machine can be used to perform this sample preparation. The fused beads are produced by mixing a flux with a sample that has been finely powdered and...
