The X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis of Oxide Materials by the Glass Bead Sample Technique

Abstract

An investigation has been made on the fluorescent x-ray analysis of oxide materials using the new glass bead technique and the correction coefficient for absorption and enhancement effects.
Many publications on the glass bead technique have revealed that the breakdown or cracking of glass bead at the preparation has made the application of the technique limited in spite of its wider practicability.
The results obtained are as follows:
1) The fusion with use of anhydrous lithium tetraborate and a little amount of sodium bromide enables to get satisfactory glass beads without any strict annealing process to prevent the breakdown or cracking of them, and not to need particular crucibles such as made of Pt-Au to make the melt to be easily released. The addition of small amount of sodium bromide increase greatly the surface-tension of the fused melt and makes the melt release easily even from platinum crucible.
2) The glase beads made by the anhydrous lithium tetraborate fusion are satisfactorily subjected to the fluorescent x-ray analysis, because they have flat and smooth surfaces and can be reserved for a long time without any change.
3) By introducing the correction coefficients for absorption and enhancement effects, good agreement was observed between the wet chemical and the present fluorescent x-ray analytical methods for various oxide materials such iron making slags, mineral ores and welding fluxes.