X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)

XRF is a versatile and powerful analytical tool that provides detailed elemental analysis in various applications. It is a key tool in the arsenal of material scientists and industrial chemists due to its exceptional analytical capabilities.

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a non-destructive analytical technique used for the quantification and qualification of elements in a sample. Originating from the field of physics, XRF works on the basic principle of excitation and emission of electrons from an atom. When a material is bombarded with high-energy X-rays, these energetic photons are absorbed by the atoms in that material and cause the internal electrons to "jump" to a higher energy level. When these excited electrons return to their normal state, they emit X-ray photons of a lower energy, which are categorized as characteristic X-ray "fluorescence". The energy and frequencies of these secondary X-rays can be used to identify and measure the concentration of elements in the sample.

Fig. 1. Image of X-ray fluorescence spectrometer.

What is XRF Used For?

Due to its non-destructive nature and fast processing time, XRF has a wide range of applications across diverse industries. Here are few key applications:

Firstly, XRF is frequently used for general elemental identification and quantitation in several kinds of material. This includes glasses, metals, ceramics and polymers.
Another key use of XRF is in the identification of specific metal alloys or types of glass, as well as determination of the their composition.
Trace level analysis for contaminants and metals in solid or liquid samples is yet another application of XRF. This functionality is particularly useful in the context of environmental science.
Furthermore, XRF is also used in polymer, particularly in identifying and quantifying inorganic fillers.
Moreover, it is used to analyze pigments and ceramics in art and archaeological objects, providing valuable information about their composition and provenance.
Measuring film thickness and composition is another uses, with the ability to gauge measurements from the angstrom range up to several micrometers.

Application of XRF in Deformulation

In deformulation (reverse engineering) tasks, XRF has been increasingly applied to deformulate various materials ranging from pharmaceuticals, plastics, cosmetics, ceramics to metals and alloys. It provides extensive details about the elemental composition of a product in a nondestructive manner. This information helps in measuring elemental distribution, identifying foreign material, determining the metal elements, or detecting toxic substances and pollutants, and further helps in understanding competitor's products, solving manufacturing issues, improving product quality, and fostering innovation. Besides identifying elements, it can also measure elements' concentration, enabling analysts to recreate the composition of a proprietary product.

How We Can Help You?

As an expert in XRF technology and deformulation, Alfa Chemistry equipped with cutting-edge XRF technology can assist you with elemental analysis requirements in deformulation analysis. In this regard, we can assist you:

In uncovering the composition of virtually any solid, liquid, or powdered samples.
Identifying the impurities and trace pollutants of metal alloy, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, ceramics samples or deformulating a sophisticated polymer blend.

With swift turnarounds, full detailed reports, and dedicated customer support, we can ensure you get accurate, reliable, and actionable results to make inform decisions. Our services can help you enhance your product quality, streamline your operations, and increase your competitive advantage in the marketplace. As your trusted partner in analytical services, Alfa Chemistry is dedicated to helping you make the most out of XRF technology and take your projects to the next level.

Please kindly note that our products and services are for research use only.