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Assess metal quality with these techniques
Depending on your needs, there are a handful of metal characterization techniques that can help you better understand your samples. From getting a clear view of the surface or nanoparticles to identifying elemental composition and inclusions, these techniques can help you produce higher-quality, longer-lasting products.
Metals elemental analysis with EDX
Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS, also known as EDX or XEDS) is an analytical method for characterizing chemical composition at macro, micro, and nanoscales.
It involves gathering compositional data by detecting X-rays emitted during electron beam scanning, with each element identified by its unique X-ray line profile.
EDS is applicable to the entire periodic table, offering insights into element distribution.
It aids in comprehensive material analysis across industrial and academic domains, encompassing applications from quality control and failure analysis to fundamental research.
ChemiPhase analysis instantly transforms EDS mapping into unique chemical components for this steel macro-inclusion, including for each phase a spectrum, quantified composition and area fraction.
Inclusion analysis of steel, aluminum, and other metals
Microscale inclusions are found in alloys of steel, aluminum, and other metal systems.
In steel, the populations of oxides and sulfides reflect the high temperature refining conditions.
In aluminum, tramp iron and alloyed heavy metals combine to form intermetallic compounds.
In both cases, the composition and size distribution of these microscale particles have an impact on final product properties such as strength, ductility, and fatigue life.
To advance process and product development, a comprehensive grasp of micro cleanliness is essential, and automated SEM-EDS stands as the benchmark for identifying inclusions in metals.
Automated feature analysis has been integrated with the Thermo Scientific Axia ChemiSEM. Collect an image, spectrum and sizing for features that can be distinguished from the background image. Steel inclusions are shown here with overlapping oxides, sulfides and nitrides.
Nanoparticle analysis with EDX
Nanotechnology is reshaping various aspects of our lives. In the textile industry, it leads to advanced clothing with improved stain, odor, and water resistance. Consumer electronics, like smartphones, benefit from increasingly smaller, faster, and better transistors due to nanotechnology. Medicine is exploring nanoparticles for advanced drug and vaccine delivery, and the energy sector is enhancing solar and wind power efficiency.
Nanoparticles leverage the unique properties of atoms and molecules at the nanoscale. Some excel in conducting electricity, heat, strength, magnetic properties, or light reflection. Their significant surface area makes them effective chemical catalysts in industrial and automotive applications.
Cu and Zr precipitates in a lamella of aluminum 2099 alloy characterized by APW.
To understand nanoparticles better, quantifying their composition, sizes, and shapes is essential. Researchers worldwide employ scanning and transmission electron microscopes (S/TEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) for sub-nanometer-scale imaging and chemical data, unveiling insights into nanoparticle arrangement and functions.
Demand for large area correlative imaging has grown, preserving observational context while providing robust data. Thermo Scientific Maps Software automates high-resolution image acquisition across samples, stitching them into a single image. Additionally, Thermo Scientific Avizo Software offers real-time statistics on nanoparticle size, surface area, perimeter, distribution, and chemical composition. It enables correlation of images and chemical information from different microscopes, ensuring context retention.
Automated Particle Workflow
The Thermo Scientific Automated Particle Workflow (APW) optimizes the research and product development process in industrial, academic, and government labs with a comprehensive software package that streamlines chemical analysis workflows. APW is the sole solution that automates the entire workflow, from acquisition to automated processing. This allows for rapid acquisition of statistically significant, high-resolution (nanoscale) results over extensive areas. APW seamlessly integrates with Thermo Scientific Talos (S)TEM and Thermo Scientific Spectra (S)TEM instruments, along with Thermo Scientific Maps Software, resulting in significantly improved data statistics (50 in total vs. >500/hour) while simplifying the process.
Dynamic software integration that streamlines chemical analysis
XPS surface analysis of metals
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), or electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), is a common surface characterization tool in applications including non-stick cookware coatings, thin-film electronics, and bio-active surfaces. XPS measures the elemental composition, chemical, and electronic state of atoms on a material's surface to analyze its surface chemistry.
XPS spectra are obtained by irradiating a solid surface with a beam of X-rays and measuring the kinetic energy of electrons that are emitted through the photoelectric effect from the top 1-10 nm of the material. A photoelectron spectrum is recorded by counting ejected electrons over a range of kinetic energies. The energies and intensities of photoelectron peaks enable identification and quantification of all surface elements, except for hydrogen.
XPS offers a significant advantage in detecting subtle changes in the position of peaks that reflect the chemical state of surface elements, such as metallic or oxidized states, and diverse bonding states in polymers. However, the analysis depth is limited to a few nanometers due to electron-matter interactions. Electrons lose energy quickly as they interact with matter, preventing their detection as part of a peak.
Schematic of an XPS instrument. X-rays are created and monochromated to ensure good energy resolution before irradiating the sample. The created photoelectrons are focused into an analyzer and counted by a detector to create a spectrum.
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.