Scanning Electron-Probe Techniques for Diverse Nonmetallurgical, Industrial Applications

Abstract

Techniques and procedures are described which have proven especially valuable for rapid qualitative and semiquantitative electron-probe microanalysis of nonmetallographic specimens, wherein rough or irregular surface structures must often be analyzed as they occur, and samples may have low physical stability, coarse, porous texture, fragile structures, high and varying electrical resistivity, and/or surface conditions which prevent deposition of a conducting film. The techniques include: (1) the use of various conducting epoxy resins and glues for specimen mounting, (2) a simple vacuum technique for void-free mounting of fragile, porous particles without heat or pressure, (3) extensive use of background X-ray images along with characteristic X-ray images and scaler counting for semiquantitative interpretation of element distributions, compensating for topographical effects or gross variations in sample density or both, and (4) the advantageous use of peak/background ratios for quantitative measurements of element distributions at low concentrations undér adverse specimen conditions.