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| The
Merits of the Gold-X |
- Accuracy:
better than 1 ‰
- Precision
and repeatability: better than 0.5 ‰,
calculated as One Standard Deviation
(SD) with N = 5
- Measurement
time: 200 – 300 seconds
- The
instrument can be calibrated for any
alloy composed of elements whose atomic
weight falls between those of
titanium and uranium
- Analysis
can be done absolutely non-destructively,
immediately after manufacture
- Reduction
of the times and of the costs of
analysis as compared to the method of
cuppellation
- Software
in Windows environment with printing out
of the results
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Gold-X
is a spectrometric system invented and developed by Ital
Structures dedicated to the qualitative and quantitative
analysis of precious metal alloys. In particular, Gold-X allows one
drastically to reduce the time for the assaying of gold, by a
non-destructive method, comparable for accuracy, precision and
repeatability with that which is actually obtained by means of cuppellation.
The
instrument is completely controlled by software in a Windows
environment and is simple to use, even for people who are not
particularly expert, with a notable reduction of the costs per
analysis as compared to the traditional method and without damaging
the specimen.
The
results are obtained rapidly, without intervention on the part of
the operator, for a series of up to twelve samples consecutively.
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Characteristics
of the instrument
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| Gold-X
is a table-top spectrometer for energy dispersive X-ray
fluorescence analysis, consisting of an X-ray tube with
a tungsten anode, with its radiation suitably collimated
and filtered. The exciting radiation falls on an area of
3 mm diameter on the surface of the specimen
which fluoresces, producing radiation which is
characteristic of the elements present in the specimen.
The fluorescent radiation emitted is caught by a high
resolution Si (Li) solid state detector, which cooled by
a thermoelectric system for better resolution. The
signal from the detector is amplified electronically and
passes through a multichannel analyser. By means of a
serial port the results are transmitted to and analysed
by a PC. The interpretation of the data thus collected
is done by a mathematical process using the Marquardt
method, while the algorithms for the fundamental
parameters which are used in combination with a
semi-empirical method of correcting for the effects of
the matrix, according to the intensity, insure a
quantitative analysis of very high quality. |
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| ALLOY |
CERTIFIED
VALUE
Au ‰ |
GOLD-X
VALUE Au ‰
Measurement time = 500 s |
Accuracy
in ‰ |
SD
PRECISION in ‰ N =5 |
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24
Kt |
995.28 |
995.6 |
0.32 |
0.3 |
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22 Kt |
922.42 |
922.9 |
0.48 |
0.4 |
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18
Kt |
753.02 |
753.6 |
0.58 |
0.4 |
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14
Kt |
584.61 |
584.0 |
0.61 |
0.5 |
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10 Kt |
413.43 |
412.7 |
0.73 |
0.3 |
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8 Kt |
336.20 |
336.8 |
0.60 |
0.5 |
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The
analytical strategy |
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The
Gold-X spectrometer offers the possibility of choosing
among three
different methods of analysis with two different grades
of accuracy, according to the user’s needs:
1.
The instrument recognises the type of alloy to be
analysed and automatically switches into that matrix of
calibration that relates to the specimen in question.
The accuracy of this type of analysis is better than 1
‰. Gold-X comes calibrated and is continually updated
against a series of alloys which are important in the
jewellery trade.
2.
The alloy to be analysed is not the same as any in the
instrument’s archive. In which case, using the
standard samples supplied, one
can generate the new calibration curve in a quick
and simple fashion. The accuracy will be the same as
with the preceding method, which is to say, better than
1 ‰.
3.
One can analyse quantitatively any specimen even if it
is not among the alloys for which is the apparatus is
currently calibrated. In which case Gold-X produces a
quantitative analysis by means of calculating the
fundamental parameters. The accuracy for this first
grade of measurement is better than 1%. |
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Technical
Data |
Low
power X-ray tube
Anode |
Tungsten |
High
resolution detector
Crystal
Refrigeration
Window |
Si (Li)
Peltier Thermo-electric System
Be |
| Multichannel |
Card
insert in the PC |
Multiple
specimen holder
Positions |
12 |
| Cabin
of protection with security system |
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| Connection
to the Personal Computer |
Serial |
| Supply |
220
VAC 50Hz |
| Dimensions |
590
x 440 x 430 mm |
| Weight |
50
Kg |
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