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Method for the determination of the phase fractions in solid systems by x‐ray microanalysis
Author(s) -
Stoyanchev R.
Publication year - 1989
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.1300180407
Subject(s) - microanalysis , phase (matter) , analytical chemistry (journal) , solid solution , stoichiometry , electron probe microanalysis , sample (material) , spectrometer , elemental analysis , chemistry , x ray , scanning electron microscope , materials science , mineralogy , electron microprobe , optics , chromatography , inorganic chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , composite material
A method is proposed for the quantitative evaluation of area fractions of phases with different chemical compositions in solid systems, e.g. alloys, mixtures of solid solutions and phases with defined stoichiometry, ceramics and minerals. The method is based on the scanning of the surface of the sample by an electron beam and applying an energy‐dispersive x‐ray spectrometer. By using the net integral intensities of the characteristic x‐ray lines of the elements in the different phases, equations have been derived for the area fractions of an n ‐phase system composed of m elements. Assuming that the phases are uniformly distributed within the sample, the practically important volume and weight fractions of the phases are expressed by the area fractions. A technique for the assessment of the elemental content in a complex sample using an electron probe is given, by using the phase fractions determined by the proposed method and the concentration data for the elements in the separate phases. The method has been tested experimentally for the determination of the area fractions in cases where the number of phases is less than or equal to the number of constituent elements.