Discover the Epsilon 1 benchtop XRF upgrade – Q&A
Epsilon 1 is changing the landscape of economic and easy-to-use benchtop XRF spectrometers. This compact and powerful instrument has now undergone a comprehensive upgrade, providing more accurate, faster and reproducible elemental analysis. The next generation Epsilon 1 gives, compared to its predecessor, three times more sensitivity, increased speed and precision of the analysis.
We recently introduced the next generation Epsilon 1 during this free webinar. A live presentation displays how easily elements can be quantified more quickly and accurately and how one can take a small yet powerful instrument directly to the sample for fast product screening and process control.
What has been demonstrated:
- How to enable fast and reproducible elemental analysis
- Ease-of-use of Epsilon 1 benchtops
- The power and sensitivity of a larger benchtop XRF instrument in a compact system
Many questions were asked during and after the webinar, and these are listed below, along with answers for your interest. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me directly here.
XRF is an accurate analysis of lighter elements such as Al and Si. The sample type and the elemental analysis requirements influence the final choice of which XRF instrument is a solution for your process. Will an Epsilon 1 be sufficient or is the high-end benchtop Epsilon 4 or a floor standing Zetium a better fit.
The Epsilon 1 is capable of measuring a wide range of samples, like solids, liquids, powders (pressed or loose), filter materials, etc. As long as the materials fit in the measurement chamber. If you are interested in small object or heterogenic samples, the Epsilon 1 for small spot analysis is equipped with a measurement spot of < 1 mm2.
The screen is fixed. The upgraded screen is more bright and can be seen from a wide angle.
We kept the user interface of the Epsilon software, however, we drastically improved the algorithms to get more information from the measured spectra.
The Epsilon 1 can be used in the cement industry. However, if it can replace an old CubiX XRF I can’t say. This will depend on the applications. Possibly the Epsilon 4 or Zetium could be a better solution for your daily operations.
The Epsilon 1 can’t be upgraded in the field with a small spot option.
The smallest sample amount will be around 100 mg, but this is not done in a pressurized cup. All samples are measured in atmospheric conditions.
The measurement time determines the accuracy of the analysis, whereas the peak/background ratio improves over time. If the analysis shown in the webinar is accurate enough, it could be that less sample could be done with the same measurement time.
The Epsilon 1 can’t analyze fluorine. For this we advise an Epsilon 4 or Zetium. If you are interested in Ca, or other elements in CaF2, the Epsilon 1 can be used.
All measurements are done in atmospheric conditions. So there is no possibility to add a nitrogen purge. However, putting the whole instrument in a nitrogen-filled chamber is possible. The Epsilon 1 is equipped with air pressure and temperature sensors, and the software automatically corrects results for variations in the atmosphere.
The optical 1 has an extra protection foil to protect the optical path. If there is a solution which can decompose, the advice is to put the sample in a liquid cup, where an extra foil is used to contain fumes inside the cup.
The instrument could be connected to the network.
Automatic Program Selection is a standard function in our Epsilon software.
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