Development of fluxes for the analysis of ceramic materials by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract

From experience of the use of both lithium metaborate and tetraborate as fluxes for a wide variety of minerals and refractories, it is postulated that when the sample contains a preponderance of acidic oxides (e.g., silica), lithium metaborate has considerable advantages. The melts from metaborate are much more fluid and decomposition can be carried out by heating over gas burners. For samples that contain high contents of basic oxides (e.g., carbonate rocks), the more acidic tetraborate is recommended. A 1 + 4 mixture of metaborate and tetraborate forms a universal flux for samples containing silica and/or alumina as major contents. The most suitable flux can be predicted from the acidity or basicity of the sample.