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This application note describes the texture analysis of a rolled copper specimen. The experimental data were measured on a multi-purpose X-ray diffraction system equipped with a texture cradle.. In polycrystalline solid materials, such as a wide class of metals and ceramics, usually the orientation of the crystallites, constituting the matrial, is not distributed randomly, like in an ideal powder specimen. In most cases a preferred orientation of the crystallites with respect to the sample reference frame is present. In materials science this preferred orientation is referred to as texture. .

Products:

X'Pert3 MRD (XL)

Date:

July 20 2017

Language:

English

This application note demonstrates the performance of the Axios FAST XRF spectrometer for the analysis of Al-Si and Al-Mg alloys.. Accurate and fast elemental analysis during the production process of aluminum and its base materials is a critical requirement. Measurements were performed using an Axios FAST simultaneous X-ray fluorescence spectrometer equipped with a 4 kW Rh SST-mAX X-ray tube. .

Products:

Axios FAST

Date:

July 20 2017

Language:

English

To guide soil fertility investment programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, better understanding is needed of the relative importance of soil and crop management factors in determining smallholder crop yields and yield variability. Spatial variability in crop yields within farms is strongly influenced by variation in both current crop management (e.g. planting dates, fertilizer rates) and soil fertility. Variability in soil fertility is in turn strongly influenced by farmers’ past soil and crop management. The aim of this study was to investigate the relative importance of soil fertility and crop management factors in determining yield variability and the gap between farmers’ maize yields and potential yields in western Kenya. In this study, 522 samples taken from the farms were analysed by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, using an ASD FieldSpec FR spectroradiometer.

Products:

ASD FieldSpec range

Date:

December 5 2018

Language:

English

In this study we have set up and made separate calibrations in accordance with the methods stipulated in both ASTM D2622-10 and ISO 20884:11 norms.. The latest 2010 version of ASTM D2622 is the most stringent test method in terms of repeatability and reproducibility. .

Products:

The Petro edition of Zetium

Date:

August 2 2017

Language:

English

Objectives:. (i) to estimate mineralogical composition specifically clay mineralogy from the spectra, (ii) to qualitatively compare mineral concentrations calculated from XRF and XRD analyses, as well as mineral groups identified through SEM and microscopic petrography work with NIR results.. NIR spectroscopy has been widely used in different scientific fields such as biology and medicine. However, it has been rarely used in mineral identification in finer sedimentary rocks specifically mudrocks. This work will allow us to verify the accuracy of this technique compared with XRF and XRD..

Products:

ASD range

Date:

May 25 2018

Language:

English

This application study was designed to demonstrate the performance of the Epsilon 5 EDXRF spectrometer and to show that the instrument meets the analytical challenge of analyzing Fe, Cu, Ni, As, Cd and Pb in edible oils. The long term stability and precision of the instrument is also demonstrated.. The refining processes for products such as edible oils require the addition of catalysts in the correct proportions to optimize the processing reactions. These catalysts also contain elements such as Ni and Fe that must be removed from the oils during the later stages of the refining process. .

Detection limits for typical medium-power wavelengthdispersive spectrometers (WDXRF) configured for geological applications are illustrated in this application note.. A series of soil and rock standards were used to calibrate the application. The soil samples were analyzed in the form of pressed powder pellets.

Proceedings of ASD and IEEE GRS; Art, Science and Applications of Reflectance Spectroscopy Symposium, Vol. III, 6pp, Boulder, CO

This application study demonstrates the performance of the Epsilon 5 EDXRF analyzer according to the EPA method IO-3.3, with the elemental range extended from 44 to 55 elements.. The presence of toxic pollutants in the air has been a subject of research for many years. The measurement of the elemental composition of the particulate matter is a key factor in understanding the long-term health effects of pollution. .

A single point calibration line is set up for each element using fundamental parameter calculations and concentrations are derived from the measured intensities. To demonstrate the performance of Auto Quantify, certified reference materials were analyzed.. Comprising one measurement program, Auto Quantify covers all elements from Na to U and quantitative results can be obtained for a wide variety of sample types. .

Many analytic applications benefit from the ability to measure very small samples non-destructively. Typical applications of near-infrared analysis require sample sizes of 5 to 50 grams. The purpose of this evaluation was to determine if sub-gram quantities of sample could be used with the ASD LabSpec 4 Standard-Res i. A set of dried ground corn stover samples was used for this study to evaluate this small sample size capability. ASD’s spectrometer system was used with very small samples in micro-centrifuge tubes to allow higher throughput in the lab thus reducing costs associated with the NIR analysis.

A study by the Academic Laboratory of Materials Research of Paintings (ALMA) in Prague, Czech Republic has shown that X-ray powder micro-diffraction can be used for the investigation of salt damage. The use of X-ray microdiffraction enabled the research team to identify the probable causes of damage to an ancient fresco.. Pigment degradation, often resulting in color changes, causes serious damage to wall paintings. Many factors lead to pigment degradation including sunlight, air pollution, salts and microorganisms. Of these, salts are one of the most damaging agents, especially for artworks of a porous nature such as wall paintings. .

Products:

Empyrean

Date:

July 21 2017

Language:

English

In this paper we present how SAXS measurements can be performed on a multi-purpose X-ray diffractometer platform. Application examples for nanopowders, colloids, nanocomposites and porous materials will be given.. A multi-purpose X-ray diffractometer platform was configured for small-angle X-ray scattering measurements. This technique was applied to nanoparticle and pore size distribution determination in nanopowders, colloidal dispersions, nanocomposites and porous materials in a range of 1-100 nm. .

Products:

Empyrean Nano edition

Date:

July 21 2017

Language:

English

This application note describes the texture analysis of a rolled copper specimen. The experimental data were measured on an X’Pert PRO diffraction system equipped with a texture cradle.. In polycrystalline solid materials, such as a wide class of metals and ceramics, usually the orientation of the crystallites, constituting the material, is not distributed randomly, like in an ideal powder specimen. In most cases a preferred orientation of the crystallites with respect to the sample reference frame is present. In materials science this preferred orientation is referred to as texture. .

Products:

X'Pert3 MRD (XL)

Date:

October 10 2018

Language:

English

This application note describes reflectivity measurements on non-ideal sample surfaces. It demonstrates the improvement of the reflectivity curves by the use of a beam knife in measurements on curved glass samples and shows the necessity of the beam knife to get accurate data from this kind of sample.. Grazing incidence X-ray reflectivity extends the area of analytical methods for thin layers. It allows the determination of many important characteristic parameters as layer thickness, interface roughness, layer density and interdiffusion effects between layers. .

Products:

X'Pert3 MRD (XL)

Date:

July 21 2017

Language:

English

The FieldSpec 4 spectroradiometer we received during the Goetz Instrument Support Program award period was used for the non-invasive analysis of a selection of medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscripts (10th-16th century) in the collection of the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, UK. Since sampling or contact with the artwork is not required, FORS is a very useful method for the technical analysis of manuscripts, for which sampling is very rarely allowed. We analysed selected folios within 23 bound manuscripts, as well as 22 manuscript cuttings and a 17th century colour chart (Trinity College 310.b.6A.8). Green pigments were surveyed on 7 additional manuscripts, and spectra were acquired on 5 paintings at the Hamilton Kerr Institute. Almost 2500 reflectance spectra were collected on the manuscripts alone, and in-depth data processing is still ongoing. In order to correctly identify the different pigments and paint binders used on the manuscripts, we also created a database by acquiring spectra on ‘test samples’ made of historic pigments bound in different media and painted on glass and parchment.

This application note provides a basic introduction to in-plane diffraction. It includes a short description of the technique and demonstrates its application on the X’Pert PRO MRD.. Many different in-plane diffraction experiments are possible on the X’Pert PRO MRD system, incorporating different types of scan and using different PreFIX optical modules. Examples of different types of experiment are described in this note together with practical tips highlighting the specific areas of concern in in-plane diffraction. .

Products:

X'Pert3 MRD (XL)

Date:

July 21 2017

Language:

English

The industrial application of Near Infrared (NIR) analyses for characterizing the chemical constituencies of a substance started in the 1950. The use of remotely sensed spectral measurements and chemometric analysis however is a relatively new field of research. In the spring of 2009, Dr. Kevin Price at Kansas State University offered the first KSU course in Spectroscopy (hyperspectral analysis) and Chemometric Analysis.In preparing such a course, one will soon find that there are no textbooks on this topic; therefore, the first 1/3 of the semester was spent reading assigned articles to acquaint students with the basic concepts in the field. Later students were introduced to hyperspectral analysis methods including: Principal Components Analysis, Multiple Regression Analysis, 3-D visualization methods, and Derivative Analysis. Students used a hand-held 2000+ band spectroradiometer to collect spectra from compounds such as: salt, sugar (granular and powered), flour, baking powder, baking soda, garlic power, black pepper, and paprika. Students entered their spectral measurements into the ViewSpec program to display, statistically analyze and export their spectra to a spreadsheet file format. Students were required to complete a report describing observed spectral differences among compounds and display the spectra in various graphic formats. Students, in groups of 2 or 3 used the GRAMS chemometrics software to analyze spectra of dry and live grasses that were placed on light and dark soil backgrounds, and to estimate crop leaf and stem N, P, and K nutrient contents. Student hands-on projects proved to be intellectually stimulating and all the students took an active role in their respective groups. Student findings showed considerable promise in using spectroradiometer measurements and chemometric analysis methods for quantifying rangeland grass cover over dark and light soils, and leaf nutrient content of Great Plains crops.

In this application note, we studied the effects of thermal annealing on the structure of multiple quantum wells. From reciprocal space maps collected on an X’Pert PRO MRD system equipped with a nonambient chamber, information about structure, composition and disordering could be derived.. Fast X-ray measurements are especially required for monitoring of physical processes with rapidly changing parameters. They can be used to measure the structural properties of materials used in semiconductors, including attractive wurtzite type gallium nitride. .

Products:

X'Pert3 MRD (XL)

Date:

July 21 2017

Language:

English

The role of hyperspectral data and imaging spectrometry in the calibration of terrestrial remote sensing sensors has been a key to the development of long-term data sets. Most of these data sets are developed from multispectral imagers with tens of spectral bands rather than hundreds to thousands of bands available in spectrometry. Typical lamp-based calibration in the laboratory benefits from inclusion of spectrometer characterization of the source output. The advantage of spectrometer-based calibrations is it permits convolution of the data to arbitrary band shapes that mimic the spectral responses of the sensors being calibrated. Lamp-based calibration, while convenient to operate and control, does not simulate the solar spectrum that is the basic energy source for many of the imaging systems. Using the sun as a source for preflight radiometric calibration reduces many of these uncertainties, but introduces its own difficulties caused by the spectrally-varying effects due to the solar spectrum and atmospheric absorption. Spectrometry provides the spectral knowledge necessary to permit calibration of these sensors at a level sufficient to create climate-quality data sets. In-flight calibration has relied on imaging spectrometers on aircraft and satellites for direct comparison to other sensors to removes biases from their preflight calibrations. Similar approaches relying on ground-based, portable spectrometers have also been widely used. The current work describes the typical approaches used for preflight and in-flight calibration of multispectral imagers using spectrometer-based data. Sample results are presented to demonstrate the current state of the art. Such data sets play a critical role in the development of climatic data sets such as those expected from the Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) mission and application of these approaches to NASA’s upcoming CLARREO mission are discussed including proposed methods for significantly reducing the uncertainties to allow CLARREO data to be used for climate data records.