New method of glass and batch sample preparation for X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract

Sample preparation time has been cut down considerably by the combined use of a new preparation technique and a new method of calibration. The glass sample is molten in a platinum cup at a temperature of 1200 °C, to form a glass disc. Without further treatment this disc can be used for analysis in an X-ray spectrometer. The sample preparation takes about 2 minutes. AU X-ray intensities, as measured against a stable instrument standard, are normalised to the silicon intensity of the sample. The normalised intensities of a few calibration samples are plotted against the ratio: element/silicon. In this way calibration curves are obtained which are independent of the condition or shape of the sample surface. The concentration ratio's found for unknown samples are normalised to 100 % minus any known loss value.