The TX2000 is the unique spectrometer that allows to perform Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis in both Total Reflection and Traditional (45 degrees) Geometry.

 

Principal advantages of TXRF
  • No matrix effects
  • A single internal standard greatly simplifies quantitative analyses
  • Calibration and quantification independent from any sample matrix
  • Simultaneous multi-element ultra-trace analysis
  • Several different sample types and applications
  • Minimal quantity of sample required for the measurement (5 ml)
  • Unique microanalytical applications for liquid and solid samples
  • Excellent detection limits (ppt or pg) for all elements from sodium to plutonium
  • Excellent dynamic range from ppt to percent
  • Possibility to analyse the sample directly without chemical pretreatment
  • No memory effects
  • Non destructive analysis
  • Low running cost
 

Principles of the TXRF analytical method
TXRF is founded on the same principles of the EDXRF with, however, one significant difference. In contrast to EDXRF, where the primary beam strikes the sample at an angle of 45°, TXRF uses a glancing angle of a few milliradians. Owing to this grazing incidence, the primary beam is totally reflected. By illuminating the sample with a beam that is being totally reflected, absorption of the beam in the supporting substrate is largely avoided and the associated scattering is greatly reduced. This also reduced the background noise substantially. A further contribution to the reduction of the background noise is obtained by minimising the thickness of the sample. A small drop of the sample (5-100 microliters of the substance dissolved in an appropriate solvent) is placed on a silica carrier. On evaporation of the solvent a thin film, a few nanometers thick, remains. In practice the greater part of the scattering normally arising from the sample and its matrix is eliminated. This is because matrix effect cannot build up within minute residues or thin layers of a sample. Besides its high detection power, simplified quantitative analysis in made possible by internal standard.
   
 

Applications
  • Environmental Analysis: water, dust, sediments, aerosol
  • Medicine: toxic elements in biological fluids and tissue samples
  • Forensic Science: analysis of extremely small sample quantities
  • Pure chemicals: acids, bases, salts, solvents, water, ultrapure reagents
  • Oils and greases: crude oil, essential oil, fuel oil
  • Pigments: ink, oil paints, powder
  • Semiconductor Industry: by VPD (vapor-phase decomposition)
  • Nuclear Industry: measurements of radioactive elements 
 

The main features of the TX 2000 spectrometer
Hardware:
  • TXRF and EDXRF (traditional 45° geometry) spectroscopy in the same equipment
  • Automatic switching of primary beam (MoKa, WLa/Lb and  bremsstrahlung 33 keV) using  double anode Mo/W X-ray tube, based on innovative software. We select the energy required using an high reflectivity 80% (WLa/Lb/MoKa) multilayer. We can choose also other X-ray tubes and monochromatise the energy that you need
  • 3.8 liters UHV (Si(Li) 20 mm2 detector area) high resolution detector <133 eV (Ka Mn radiation at 5.89 keV), with an ultra-thin and highly corrosion resistant window (8 mm Dura-Beryllium)
  •  Minimal distance between the sample and the detector (mounted to the axis normal to the plane of the sample.) In this position the detector is also completely out of the primary beam, as the angle between the incident and the reflected beams is so large
  • Instrumental detection limits for more than 50 elements below 10 pg.
  • Helium device to improve the detection limits for the light elements
  • The Spectrometer is fully automated and you can control different total reflection conditions for different energies from the PC, using stepping-motors mowing monochromator and tube shield and MS Windows software
Software:
  • TXRFACQ32 acquisition program, 32 bit version for windows 98/ME/2000 which allows one to accomplish the following functions: X-ray generator load settings, multisample positioning, counter chain parameter settings, selection of radiation, centring procedure, K, L, & M markers, time or count selection, acquisition of data in both geometries (TXRF and EDXRF).
  • EDXRF32 for the elaboration of data 32 bit version for Windows 98/ME/2000, includes:
    Least square Marquardt fit procedure for the area calculation (spectral analysis), automatic/manual search function, manual or automatic calibration of energy, quantification via an internal standard using theoretical and experimental sensitivity curves for total reflection, several types of background correction.
    For the 45 degrees geometry the following methods are available:
    Emission/Transmission (for powder/light matrix samples).
    Fundamental parameters using relationship between incoherent and coherent radiations for evaluation of the dark matrix.
    Fundamental parameters (for alloys).
    Thin film. 
    Semi-empirical corrections for matrix effect.
    A set of tools for calculating: fundamental parameters, fluorescence yield, edge jump, detector efficiency, differential cross section (coherent and incoherent), atomic form factor, incoherent scattering function, elements lines and ratios, stoichiometry
 

Example of detection limits - Chromium in distilled water
Tungsten Radiation (40 kVolt – 30 mA)
Concentration of Cr (ppb) Volume
ml (5 x N)		 Live Time (seconds) Detection Limit (ppt) Detection Limit (pg)= ppt x ml/1000
24.5 10 (5 x 2) 500 370 3.70
24.5 50 (5 x 10) 500 120 6.00
24.5 50 (5 x 10) 300 170 8.50
* 24.5 100 (5 x 20) 500 70 7.00
24.5 100 (5 x 20) 1000 55 5.50
24.5 100 (5 x 20) 5000 35 3.50
1.97 10 (5 x 2) 500 400 4.00
1.97 10 (5 x 2) 300 440 4.40
1.97 50 (5 x 10) 500 80 4.00
1.97 50 (5 x 10) 300 125 6.25
* See the attached spectrum
 

 

 
 

   
 

 

Some TXRF spectra, from different fields of analysis
   

Click Here to see the TX 2000 Standard configuration
 

If you are interested, we can analyse your samples free of charge, so that you can see the potentiality of this new generation of instruments.
 

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