Thermo Electron's ARL OPTIM'X™ allows wider XRF elemental coverage

Pigment & Resin Technology

ISSN: 0369-9420

Article publication date: 1 August 2004

78

Keywords

Citation

(2004), "Thermo Electron's ARL OPTIM'X™ allows wider XRF elemental coverage", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 33 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.2004.12933dad.006

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2004, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Thermo Electron's ARL OPTIM'X™ allows wider XRF elemental coverage

Thermo Electron's ARL OPTIM'X allows wider XRF elemental coverage

Keywords: Spectroscopy, Instruments, Chemical analysis

Thermo Electron Corporation (NYSE:TMO) has introduced an enhanced version of the ARL OPTIM'X, a compact WD-XRF instrument. This new spectrometer is the perfect tool for cost-effective and rapid chemical analysis, providing routine elemental analysis capabilities and offering complementary information when X-ray diffraction, FT-IR and other structural methods are employed (Plate 2).

Plate 2 ARL OPTIM'X WD-XRF spectrometer from Thermo Electron. Enhanced version allowing a wider elemental coverage

To ensure a larger degree of flexibility in sequential analysis, the instrument's innovative goniometer – the SmartGonioe – can currently be configured to cover all elements from fluorine (F) to uranium (U) in sequential mode. Two fixed monochromator channels for specific elements can be fitted alongside the SmartGonio to reduce analysis time. When the speed of the analysis is critical, a series of up to eight fixed channels can be selected in a simultaneous configuration.

The enhanced capability of the SmartGonio allows standard-less analysis using OptiQuante, an adaptation of the proven UniQuant® package for the ARL OPTIM'X spectrometer. OptiQuant provides “standard-less” analysis for up to 73 elements when specific standards are not available, or when samples can be obtained only in small quantities or in irregular shapes.

The ARL OPTIM'X has been specifically designed for optimum analytical performance and is suitable for a number of applications, including the analysis of oxides in minerals and raw materials such as limestone, sand, feldspar, bauxite, ceramics, refractories, slags and sinters; primary metals like ferro-alloys and silicon; chemicals; fertilizers; paints; and food. In addition, the instrument can be used as a back-up in cement plants or for the analysis of sulfur (S), lead (Pb) and other elements in petrochemical refineries to comply with ASTM and ISO norms.

The ARL OPTIM'X is a cost-effective solution, offering high spectral resolution, precision, accuracy and reliability. This ensures substantial analytical performance benefits for quantitative analysis. Solids, liquids and loose powders in inorganic or organic matrices can be analyzed either through manual loading or automatically using the autosampler. Designed for autonomous and easy operation, the ARL OPTIM'X does not require internal or external water-cooling. In addition, it can be configured to work without external detector gas thereby reducing peripheral dependence.

For more information about the ARL OPTIM'X or Thermo Electron's range of X-ray fluorescence spectrometers, please contact: Tel: +1 800-532-4752; E-mail analyze@thermo.com

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