Elemental and Structural Analysis

Drug analysis plays a key role in modern forensic science. With the emerging availability and increased consumption of certain drugs, as well as development of new substances, it is important to be able to use forensic methods to trace the drugs’ origins. XRD can help in the forensic determination of the drugs’ source through analysis of the materials’ type, form, and composition.

Explosives analysis in forensic science

Additionally, the analysis of explosives is an important part of forensic science. In addition to forensic work performed within law enforcement agencies, there is a growing demand from military bodies and contractors for mobile labs in “hot zones” due to the extensive threat of IEDs (improvised explosive devices). Approximately 60% of forensic cases involve intact explosive devices like IEDs, grenades or illegal fireworks. Explosive materials often contain distinct signatures due to factors like side phases formed during synthesis, storage, or mixing of materials. An important part of forensic explosives investigations is ascertaining the origin of the explosive as well as being able to cluster or group together similar samples based on such identifying factors. Additionally, inspection of remnants from explosions, like parts of casings, allow investigators to draw conclusions about the type of explosive device.

If you would like to learn more about the use of XRD in forensics, explore our resources below:

• Application Note: Explosive Material Study in Forensic Science using Bench-top XRD
• Application Note: XRD Analysis in Forensic Drug Investigation using Benchtop ARL EQUINOX 100 XRD
• Video: Analysis of high-value forensic and geological samples using XRD technique

XRD analysis is a crucial step in the analytical workflow carried out by forensic labs for the investigation of powder and bulk samples, not only for drug-related samples and explosives but also for various other samples like textiles or soils. XRD analyses can confirm findings from complementary analytical techniques like mass spectrometry. They can also provide additional information about the crystalline structure of a compound which allows conclusions like phase quantities from even complex mixtures.

Learn more about how our OES, XRF, and XRD solutions set the benchmark for chemical analysis of solid samples in metal and alloy manufacturing. The crystalline structure and elemental composition of metals varies from grade-to-grade, corresponding to a wide variety of properties in terms of ductility, strength, weldability, and more. Modern process engineers are increasingly able to guarantee the integrity of end-products through trace and percent-level elemental and structural analysis.

If you would like a more detailed insight into the various applications of our elemental and structural analysis instrumentation in metal and alloy manufacturing, browse the application notes and other resources below:

•  Application Note: EDXRF analysis of cast iron composition with ARL QUANT’X Spectrometer
•  Application Note: Analysis of Gold Jewellery with EDXRF
•  Application Note: Ultra-fast Analysis of Micro Inclusions in Aluminum and its Alloys with ARL iSpark Metal Analyzers
•  Application Note: Analysis of Metallurgical Slags with EDXRF
•  Application Note: Analysis of Automotive Catalytic Converter to Determine Precious Metal Content
•  Application Note: Lc Determination in Anodes for Aluminum Industry
•  Application Note: Analysis of Direct Reduced Iron and Hot Briquetted Iron with XRD
•  Scientific Poster: Ultra-Fast Inclusion Analysis with Spark-OES
•  Poster: The Iron and Steel Manufacturing Process
•   Application Note: Ultra-fast Analysis of Micro Inclusions in Steel with ARL iSpark Metal Analyzers – Advanced Inclusion Analysis
•  Application Note: Ultra-fast Analysis of Micro Inclusions in Steel with ARL iSpark Metal Analyzers – Standard Inclusion Analysis
•  Application Note: Combined Analysis of Titanium Powders for Additive Manufacturing with both XRD and XRF
•  Application Note: Copper Base
•  Application Note: Titanium Base
•  Application Note: Total Analysis of Aluminum Bath with the ARL 9900 Pot Flux Analyzer
•  Application Note: Analysis of Metallurgical Slags with the ARL OPTIM’X WDXRF Sequential-Simultaneous Spectrometer Configuration
•  Application Note: Analysis of Zn Coating on Steel Plate with the ARL OPTIM’X WDXRF Sequential Spectrometer
•  Application Note: Analysis of Directly Cast Metallurgical Slags with WDXRF at 50W
•  Application Note: Analysis of Metallurgical Slags with WDXRF at 50W

We can assist at every stage in the metal fabrication process, from the initial screening of incoming raw materials to end-product validation and quality control. Our OES and XRF solutions are also routinely employed in laboratory settings to test the composition and structure of emerging materials.

Find more information about how XRF is used to perform essential screening of incoming raw materials for cement making processes. Many cement kilns must be continuously monitored to ascertain the minute-by-minute composition of blends, thus preventing process upsets and guaranteeing a suitable end-product. There is also an increasing need for conditioning and validating alternative fuels (petcoke, paper waste, used oils, etc.) that are intended for improving the sustainable credentials of cement manufacturing at large.

For more information on the specific applications of XRF instrumentation in the cement manufacturing industry, browse a selection of our application notes:

•  Application Note: Cement Analysis According to ASTM C114 with EDXRF
•  Analysis of Clinker and Cement with Thermo Scientific ARL OPTIM’X WDXRF Sequential Spectrometer
•  Analysis of Cement Related Materials
•  Determination of Limestone Addition in Cement Manufacture
•  Free Lime Determination in Clinker
•  Application note: Decarbonized cements and the benefits of XRD analysis

XRF is a well-suited elemental analysis technology for qualifying an extremely broad range of materials prior to incineration in a cement kiln. This is pivotal in the validation of potential alternative fuels by screening for undesirable elements (heavy, toxic, etc.). If you are interested in learning about some of the leading alternative fuels that are helping to make cement manufacturing a greener and cleaner process, see our flyer on  Making Cement Greener and Cleaner. Learn more about our products that are best suited for  alternative fuels analysis.

For a broader scope of how XRF instrumentation is used in the cement manufacturing production cycle, take a look at our process map,    Infographic – Cement Production Process.

Delivering new, sustainable energy supplies for a growing global population is critical in building a safe and secure future. Elemental and structural analysis with our XRF and XRD solutions can help researchers develop a new generation of renewables such as synthesized biofuels, and to improve the green credentials of existing energy sources via carbon emission reduction and improving carbon sequestration. In addition, our analytical instrumentation is central to research and development (R&D) of high-performance materials for next-generation electronics and energy storage devices.

If you would like to learn more about how our XRF and XRD instrumentation is helping drive modern industries towards a brighter future, explore a selection of application notes below:

•  Application Note: Analysis of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) Solar Cells with EDXRF
•  Application Note: Investigation of a CIGS Solar Cell with XRD and EDXRF
•  Application Note: Investigation of Ni on Si Thin Film with ARL EQUINOX 100 X-ray Diffractometer

Ensuring a safer environment today for future generations is a mandate that no industry can continue to ignore. Companies must adapt to combat environmental threats around the world and to reduce their contributions to man-made climate change. We are committed to building a greener tomorrow with a suite of future-proof elemental analysis solutions based on high-resolution XRF instrumentation.

Energy-dispersive XRF (EDXRF) and wavelength-dispersive XRF (WDXRF) are perfectly suited for helping process engineers in various markets to improve their sustainability credentials. EDXRF instruments with large sample changers routinely assist in the screening of air samples following toxic spills or leaks to test for airborne toxic metals at extremely low levels of concentration. It can similarly be used to evaluate the environmental impact of waste products intended for reuse. For busy environmental and industrial laboratories that need greater XRF performance, wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer is preferred.

If you would like a more detailed insight into the use of EDXRF and WDXRF in environmental monitoring, browse our selection of application notes below:

•  Analysis of Polymer for Environmental Regulations
•  Analysis of Liquid Hazardous Waste Fuels per ASTM D5839
•  Analysis of Air Filters using EDXRF
•  Analysis of Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) Solar Cells with EDXRF
•  Analysis of Limestone for Flue Gas Desulfurization in a Power Plant
•  Determination of Hazardous Elements in Municipal Solid Waste with EDXRF
•  Analysis of Heavy Metals in Sewage Sludge
•  Analysis of Automotive Catalytic Converter to Determine Precious Metal Content
•  Determination of Crystallite Size in PtC Catalysts with XRD
•  Analysis of Traces in Aqueous Solutions with WDXRF
•  Complete Soil and Sediment Analysis

Here you will find resources dedicated to the elemental and structural analysis of geological and mineral samples, both in the field and in laboratory settings using XRF and XRD instrumentation. Mining and exploration are central to practically every modern industry worldwide, extracting the raw materials that fuel continued innovation in a limitless range of manufacturing sectors, from pharmaceuticals to semiconductors.

If you would like to learn more about how each of these technologies is applied in minerals analysis, join our webinar, Advanced Applications for Geochemical and Mining Analysis.

We can help you understand the value of your mineralogical samples, from quantifying the economically important and undesirable compounds with XRF to interrogating their phase composition using XRD. For more information on how ultra-precision elemental and structural analysis can help you enhance the value of your mineral extraction operations, see this flyer:  Enhancing Productivity and Value of Mineral Sources

With a choice of benchtop and floor-standing solutions available, XRF and XRD instrumentation are routinely employed in challenging environments to interrogate a wide range of elements and compounds at correspondingly wide concentration ranges, and in various sample matrices. To get an idea of the outstanding versatility of our product range, we have gathered together a selection of application notes relevant to mineral analysis below:

•  Application Note: Analysis of lithium raw materials with WDXRF
•  Application Note: Analysis of Ilmenite Ore Samples from Australia and China with XRD & XRF Instruments
•  Application Note: Determining the Origin and Authenticity of Gemstones Using an EDXRF
•  Application Note: XRD and XRF Investigation of Martian Analog Basalt from Terrestrial Craters
•  Application Note: Analysis of Various Oxide Materials with the ARL OPTIM'X WDXRF Spectrometer
•  Application Note: Complete Soil and Sediment Analysis
•  Application Note: Quantitative Determination of Rutile Versus Anatase in Heavy Minerals
•  Application Note: Quantitative Phase Analysis of Phosphate Rocks for Fertilizers
•  Application Note: Amorphous Content in Quartz for Pharma Applications
•  Application Note: Total Oxide X-ray Analysis with ARL 9900 Sim-Seq XRF Spectrometer
•  Application Note: Manganese ore analysis with the ARL OPTIM’X XRF Spectrometer
•  Application Note: Iron ore analysis with the ARL OPTIM’X XRF Spectrometer

Glass and ceramics are challenging materials to analyze due to their uniquely variable compositions and material structures. In its simplest format, glass is composed of pure fused silica (SiO₂) which adopts a random non-crystalline structure. Yet the costs and intensiveness of producing fused silica often mandate the use of alternative oxides such as alumina (Al₂O₃) or magnesia (MgO), and various additives like soda flux and lime stabilizers. This not only affects the composition of the material but the crystal structure too.

We provide solutions for helping process engineers in glass and ceramics sectors combine the right components to develop products with outstanding end-use properties. Our benchtop XRF solutions, particularly wavelength-dispersive XRF (WDXRF), can be used to guarantee that each individual ingredient is accounted for with exactness in terms of elemental percentage. XRD instrumentation is also routinely used to screen incoming materials for the ceramics industry. Each of these technologies is essential in ongoing process control and product development.

If you would like to learn more about how XRF solutions have assisted experts in the glass and ceramics manufacturing space, browse the literature below:

•  Application Note: Quantitative Phase Analysis of Mining Products for Ceramic Industry
•  Application Note: Analysis of TFT Glass
•  Application Note: Small Spot XRF Analysis of Inclusions in Glass
•  Application Note: Analysis of Glass using EDXRF
•  Application Note: Analysis of Glass by XRF at 50W
•  Application Note: Analysis of Sand and Feldspar by XRF
•  Application Note: Analysis of Glass with ARL OPTIM'X WDXRF Sequential Spectrometer at 200W

Oil and gas is one of the largest industries worldwide, spanning a broad range of processes and activities (exploration, extraction, refining, transportation, etc.) and generating billions of dollars per annum. Extremely large volumes of fuel oil and gasoline are generated by petroleum refineries every single year. This relies on the conversion of crudes extracted from the earth’s crust. Crude oils can contain various undesirable elements such as sulfur, which can be severely detrimental if allowed to propagate through to the end-product. XRF is the industry-standard solution for screening crudes and refined oils to guarantee optimal product quality and regulatory compliance.

•  Webinar: Liquid analyzes with XRF: Increased analysis sensitivity and safety for petroleum industry

Regulators worldwide are increasing restrictions on sulfur content in fuels and oils, decreasing the maximum permissible limits to 10 parts per million (ppm). Low-level elemental analysis is subsequently a matter of regulatory necessity, alongside its proven reliability in providing insights into the validity of novel formulations based on distinct crudes and oil additives. If you would like to learn more about the use of XRF in the petroleum industry, explore our selection of application notes:

Pharmaceutical researchers and manufacturers must be able to guarantee the safety and efficacy of their formulations through pervasive structural analysis at multiple points in the research and development (R&D) cycle. XRD is the tried-and-tested solution on crystalline sample for the challenges of pharmaceutical forensics, quality assurance and process control, guaranteeing precision in crystallinity screening, percentage crystallinity and the efficacy of solid dosage forms (polymorphism).

Ensuring that drugs convey desired pharmacological effects requires an active understanding of the bioavailability and stability of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and relevant excipients. NEW! With the addition of software that includes Title 21 CFR Part 11 compliant features, regulated labs can now meet FDA regulations while obtaining accurate information in XRD with the ARL EQUINOX diffractometer series. For more information on achieving effective and highly stable dosage form pharmaceuticals and how compliance with 21CFR Part 11 FDA regulation is achieved, watch these webinars:

•  XRD Pharmaceutical Applications with ARL EQUINOX
•  How your workflow meets regulatory requirements – XRD in Pharma research and process control

Learn more about the primary applications and benefits of XRD structural analysis in the pharma industry, from salt screening to counterfeit detection, by reading our flyer on the subject,  Security and Compliance in Pharma with XRD.

Application notes:

•  Application Note: Dynamic Structural Studies of Pharmaceutical Products using the ARL EQUINOX Series X-ray Diffractometers
•  Application Note: XRD Investigation of Ibuprofen with ARL EQUINOX 100 in Transmission Mode
•  Application Note: Amorphous Content in Quartz for Pharma Applications
•  Flyer: Security Software for ARL EQUINOX 100 X-ray Diffractometer
•  Brochure: SolstiX XRD Software with Security Suite

Polymers and plastics are among the most ubiquitous materials found in consumer and industrial products today, owing to their outstanding adaptability with regards to their underlying physical and chemical properties. Elemental and structural analysis via XRF spectrometry and XRD has consequently become an integral part of the quality control and assurance (QA/QC) process for delivering safe and compliant polymeric materials tailored for specific end-user environments.

If you would like to learn more about the elemental and structural analysis of polymers, particularly with respect to rheology and extrusion, follow the link to our webinar, Polymer Process and Analysis Webinar Series.

Plastics are manufactured using a complex array of raw materials and additives. Typical additives include accelerants, anti-degradiants, cross-linkers, fillers, plasticizers, and more – each of which is critical in yielding the desired end-product. XRF analysis is an essential component in the plastics manufacturing chain, providing insights into additive concentration at the parts-per-million (ppm) range, while XRD offers vital structural information (polymorphism, crystallinity, etc.) which may be indicative of undesirable properties.

If you would like to learn more about how the elemental composition and structure of polymers affects their properties, and how XRF and XRD can be used to ensure high-quality and safe products, see our flyer on  Ensuring Quality and Safety of Polymers.

For more detailed information on how XRF spectrometry and XRD can be leveraged in the polymer and plastics manufacturing process, browse our associated application notes in the links below:

•  Application Note: Analysis of Polymer for Environmental Regulations
•  Application Note: Analysis of Traces in Polymers
•  Application Note: Determination of the Crystallinity in Polymer Samples Using ARL EQUINOX 100 Benchtop X-ray Diffractometer
•  Application Note: XRD Investigation of Three Types of Polyethylene Films
•  Application Note: Phase Determination of Polymer Samples with ARL EQUINOX 100 X-ray Diffractometer
•  Application Note: Polymorphism and Crystallite Size in β-Polypropylene Determined with ARL EQUINOX 100 X-ray Diffractometer