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Quantitative volumetric determination of gamma‐2 content in dental amalgam by electron microprobe analysis
Author(s) -
Bryant R. W.,
Moran K. J.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
x‐ray spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.447
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1097-4539
pISSN - 0049-8246
DOI - 10.1002/xrs.1300080409
Subject(s) - electron microprobe , amalgam (chemistry) , microprobe , materials science , phase (matter) , content (measure theory) , analytical chemistry (journal) , mineralogy , chemistry , mathematics , metallurgy , chromatography , mathematical analysis , organic chemistry , electrode
A method has been developed, using an automated electron microprobe, to determine quantitatively from the uncorrected X‐ray data the volume percentage of one phase (Sn–Hg or γ 2 phase) in a three‐phase amalgam. The mean γ 2 content determined by this technique was compared with results obtained from an optical image analysis of backscattered electron (BSE) images for this amalgam. The technique offers several distinct advantages over previously described methods. It produces easily interpretable data in a numerical and pictorial form, allowing ready comparison between different amalgams. It is free of operator intervention to discriminate phases, and offers the prospect of being a reliable method of determining the γ 2 content in amalgams possessing smaller percentages of this phase.