How borate fusion optimizes XRF sample preparation to boost cement quality control
The insights generated from X-ray fluorescence (XRF) unlock numerous benefits for cement production. For example, they can help you spot high chlorine levels in your mixture, enabling you to make changes to avoid kiln corrosion and instability.
Using pressed pellets is a commonly accepted way of sampling cement materials, but can lead to inaccuracies, especially when analyzing samples with variable mineralogies.
By contrast, borate fusion offers higher repeatability of results for a wide variety of samples and, thanks to Malvern Panalytical’s suite of sample preparation instruments, it can be automated to reduce operating time and minimize human error.
All this leads to a better final cement product. Read on to find out how to include it in your cement production processes.
Borate fusion: a challenger to pressed pellets
Pressed pellets are an industry-standard sampling method for cement materials – but that doesn’t mean they’re fool-proof.
The penetration of X-rays through matter that is required for XRF depends heavily on the absorption profile of the material being analyzed. This means the particle size of the sample must be as fine as possible to limit error, and the top layer must be representative of the entire mass.
Some samples, like silicon, are harder to grind than others due to a lack of homogeneity, making them less than ideal candidates for pressed-pellet sampling.
By contrast, borate fusion involves dissolving a fully oxidized sample in a suitable solvent (or “flux”) at high temperatures in a crucible. This mixture is then agitated and poured into a mold to create a homogeneous glass disk, or into a beaker to create a solution for atomic absorption (AA) or inductively coupled plasma (ICP).
Borate fusion sampling significantly minimizes the effects of particle size, mineralogy, and matrix variations that can affect the accuracy of XRF measurements and is a far safer method than acid digestion.
Faster, better cement production with borate fusion
There are many reasons why borate fusion is fast overtaking pressed pellets as the sampling method of choice for cement sample analysis.
In cement production, borate fusion for XRF analysis allows you to accurately determine the elemental composition of raw materials, clinker, and finished cement products. The method meets international standards such as ASTM C114 and ISO/DIS 29581-2, which specify the accuracy and precision required for cement analysis, giving you one simple, fast, and cost-effective solution for a variety of analysis needs.
State-of-the-art sampling instruments for better cement production
So, what instruments should you consider if you want to incorporate borate fusion into your cement production process? Here’s a breakdown of what Malvern Panalytical has to offer:
Claisse LeNeo
- A single-position electrical fusion instrument that prepares glass disks for XRF as well as borate and peroxide solutions for AA
- Easy-to-use, with a safety door that locks automatically to enhance security for the operator
- Allows you to develop and customize your own program and offers high repeatability and analytical performance
FORJ™
- The world’s fastest, safest, and most accurate fusion instrument for sample preparation
- Designed for less thermal stress and reduced risk of contamination, minimizing its maintenance needs and downtime and ensuring high-quality sample preparation
- Its tray loader option makes it the fastest option on the market, offering high throughput that boosts productivity by up to 25% with the same compact footprint
Claisse Eagon 2
- A fully automatic instrument that can process two samples simultaneously
- Its one-touch operation feature and wide range of predefined fusion methods make it simple to use in a laboratory and it offers total cold-to-cold operation for enhanced safety
Claisse LeDoser-12
- A 12-position weighing instrument offering automated, reproducible weighing with high accuracy that can save you up to 80% of weighing time
- Eliminates calculation errors and fatigue to ensure high-quality analytical results every time
To learn more about Malvern Panalytical’s suite of analytical instruments for building materials applications, please visit our building materials webpage or download our analytical toolbox brochure.
Plus, stay tuned for our next blog on Industry 4.0
Further reading: