Portable Alloy Analysis

X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is the phenomenon where a material is exposed to X-rays of high energy, and as the X-ray (or photon) strikes an atom (or a molecule) in the sample, energy is absorbed by the atom. If the energy is high enough, a core electron is ejected out of its atomic orbital.

An electron from an outer shell then drops into the unoccupied orbital, to fill the hole left behind. This transition gives off an X-ray of fixed, characteristic energy that can be detected by a fluorescence detector. The energy needed to eject a core electron is characteristic of each element, and so is the energy emitted by the transition. The transition of an L shell electron dropping into the K shell is termed a Kα transition, while an M shell electron dropping into the K shell is a Kβ transition.


When the energy source is a synchrotron, or the X-ray are focussed by a optic, like a polycapillary, the X-ray beam can be very small and very intense, and atomic information on the sub-micrometer scale can be obtained.

From this technology portable alloy analyzers have been devised. Innov-X handheld alloy analyzers use x-ray fluorescence technology to allow inspectors to confirm the alloy composition of a wide range of metals, simply by pointing the detector gun at the metallic surface.

Within seconds the gun displays a detailed readout of the composition of the alloy. Excellent for analysis of metal alloys for PMI, scrap metal recycling and QA/QC, as well as analysis of soils and sediments, environmental monitoring, lead in paint assessment, geochemical mapping, and more.

We recently acquired this technology and have started both, providing verification and validation of alloys, and bringing Innov-X line of handheld alloy analysers to those who need for purchase. Remember to send us an e-mail or call us for more information.