MS student Maddie Woller preparing fused beads of soil samples for XRF analysis using the Claisse M4 fluxer
Dr. McHenry’s lab has a Bruker S4 Pioneer X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF) and a Bruker S2 Phaser X-ray Diffractometer (XRD), along with associated sample prep equipment including the Claisse M4 Fluxer, pictured above. Dr. McHenry teaches a course on X-Ray Analytical Methods (Geo Sci 545) every other Spring to train students in the lab.
Our Bruker S4 Pioneer XRF
XRF is a technique for measuring elemental abundances by blasting a specially-prepared sample with X-rays, generating characteristic X-rays from the elements in the sample that can then be detected and measured. Our lab has calibrations for fused beads (samples prepared as homogenized glasses) and pressed pellets, focusing on major, minor, and some trace elements present in typical rocks, sediments, and soils. Under vacuum, our existing calibrations cover select elements from Na to U.
Our Bruker S2 Phaser XRD, with control computer.
XRD is a technique for analyzing the structure of crystalline materials, based on the angles at which their lattices refract X-rays. Our S2 Phaser XRD, acquired in 2022, allows us to identify and quantify the relative abundances of crystalline phases (e.g., minerals) in finely powdered samples by comparing their diffraction patterns against a database.
Equipment in our department that can be used to prepare samples for analysis by these instruments includes rock saws, a jaw crusher, a shatterbox, a muffle furnace, a semi-automatic press, and drying ovens.