Determination of the combined state of atoms of lighter elements with the help of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract

X-ray Fluorescence spectra arise from transition of valence electrons to vacancies created in the inner level of an excited atom. These spectra form a particularly sensitive function of the immediate environment of the ionized atom. It is observed that, while going from elements to their oxides, the Kp-band is shifted towards lower energy side. Significant differences between metals and their oxides have been observed in these spectra. The shifts in the Kb-bandhave been reported as the most significant consequence of changes in chemical bonding. This observation has been proposed to utilize in evaluating the presence of different phases and estimating their concentration by standardizing the system with suitable synthetic standards.