X-ray fluorescence analysis: Contribution of different wavelengths in the primary tungsten spectrum and molybdenum spectrum to the excitation of nickel, copper and zinc

Abstract

First it is established that Zn is excited by the WLß1 line. This must be taken into account when calculating the mass absorption coefficient of Zn at the WLß1 wavelength. The contribution of different wavelengths in the polychromatic primary spectrum to the excitation of Ni, Cu and Zn is investigated. This is done in two ways: (1) By calculating and measuring how the intensity from a metal in solution is influenced by the addition of another metal to the solution. (2) By calculating and measuring the relation between intensity and concentration for the two component systems CuO-Ni(OH)2 and CuO-ZnO.

The calculations are done for different primary wavelengths and the results are compared with experiment. Indeed the mass absorption coefficient of Zn at theWLß1 wavelength turns out to be consistent with the assumption that Zn is excited by the WLß1 line. Furthermore it appears that the wavelength of the exciting radiation has (nearly) no influence upon the course of the intensity/concentration curve for two component systems, if both components are excited by (nearly) the same wavelength range in the primary spectrum, and the considered fluorescence line cannot excite the other component in the mixture.