Rapid chemical analysis of the
Rapid chemical analysis of the
Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) analysis of smear slides of oriented <2 µm clay fractions is shown to be a reliable and rapid analytical technique for providing chemical data on clay mineral mixtures. Such smear slides are routinely prepared for clay mineral analysis by X-ray diffraction and the only additional treatment required for chemical analysis by EDS is carbon-coating to form an electronically conductive surface. Using standard clays, mixtures of standard clays, and sediment samples, it is shown that sample thickness, sample heterogeneity and surface roughness do not introduce significant analytical errors, although the presence of non-clay mineral phases such as calcite, dolomite, quartz and pyrite may introduce minor discrepancies. Chemical data complement the XRD analyses and increase their accuracy and reliability.
clays, SEM/EDS, chemical analysis
549-562
Clayton, T.
d942929b-d30e-4679-8b95-3c17cc83cd20
Pearce, R.B.
7d772b25-3ad0-4909-9a96-3a1a8111bc2f
December 2007
Clayton, T.
d942929b-d30e-4679-8b95-3c17cc83cd20
Pearce, R.B.
7d772b25-3ad0-4909-9a96-3a1a8111bc2f
Abstract
Scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) analysis of smear slides of oriented <2 µm clay fractions is shown to be a reliable and rapid analytical technique for providing chemical data on clay mineral mixtures. Such smear slides are routinely prepared for clay mineral analysis by X-ray diffraction and the only additional treatment required for chemical analysis by EDS is carbon-coating to form an electronically conductive surface. Using standard clays, mixtures of standard clays, and sediment samples, it is shown that sample thickness, sample heterogeneity and surface roughness do not introduce significant analytical errors, although the presence of non-clay mineral phases such as calcite, dolomite, quartz and pyrite may introduce minor discrepancies. Chemical data complement the XRD analyses and increase their accuracy and reliability.
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Published date: December 2007
Keywords:
clays, SEM/EDS, chemical analysis
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Local EPrints ID: 50553
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/50553
ISSN: 0009-8558
PURE UUID: a4a05b82-f55e-405c-bde5-fd7f89adfb25
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Date deposited: 28 Feb 2008
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 10:07
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Author:
T. Clayton
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