In the world of modern materials science, process control is key to achieving the desired properties of materials. Researchers need to be able to analyze the crystallographic orientation, or "texture", of materials and correlate it with process directions. While qualitative analysis of pole figures has been the norm, quantitative analysis is required to fully understand and control the process.

This is where the component approach to texture modeling comes in. Unlike the traditional spherical harmonic approach, which uses a series expansion of spherical harmonic functions to generate complete pole figures, the component approach models the morphology of materials directly based on fundamental variables. This allows researchers to have a direct connection between the modeled result, crystallographic orientation, and process direction.

The component approach uses a combination of spherical, fiber, and elliptical components to model the texture. Spherical components exhibit a uniform spread in the orientation distribution in a specific direction, while a fiber component is highly oriented in one direction and random in the orthogonal direction. Elliptical components are the most general case, with the ability to adjust the spread in the orientation distribution along all three axes.

In this Application Note, the use of elliptical components to describe the texture in a sheet metal of molybdenum is discussed. Data were collected on a D8 DISCOVER diffractometer and DIFFRAC.TEXTURE was used for the analysis. The pole figures were quickly generated and fitted using the component method, assuming monoclinic process symmetry. The results showed that a single elliptical component was sufficient to fully describe the measurements, and the highly anisotropic texture of the sheet metal was revealed.

We invite you to read the full Application Note and visit our DIFFRAC.TEXTURE webpage to learn more.

Inherent strength and durability make cement products one of the most important construction materials in the world. An increase in quality requirements has transformed the manufacture of cement into processes that are extremely complex. Out of raw materials with variable chemical and mineral compositions, different cement products are produced with precisely specified properties.

When it comes to quality, cement products have to fulfill steep requirements. To efficiently accomplish this, constant product and process monitoring must be applied from the time the raw mix is prepared, through clinker production, right through to the mixing processes. For cement analysis, Bruker offers an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDXRF) in the form of an easy-to-use benchtop instrument, the S2 PUMA Series 2, and CEMENT-QUANT, a complete ready-made solution for sample preparation in accordance with ASTM and ISO/DIN standards, instrument calibration, and norm-compliant analysis.

Complementing the S2 PUMA Series 2, Herzog's AtLine Lab is a compact, affordable cement process control solution for small cement plants. AtLine Lab automates sample conveyance, preparation (grinding, mixing, pressing), and analysis with EDXRF. Analytical results can be transferred to a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) or to an Analytics module for process optimization.

In the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, process parameters and material properties are often closely related to crystallite size or surface area.

Our new D6 PHASER benchtop XRD system is ideally suited for such crystallite size applications. Analyses are based on the evaluation of diffracted peak profiles. Diffracted peaks show a characteristic broadening that increases as crystallites become smaller. This broadening must be separated from the instrumental line broadening, which determines the upper limit of the crystallite size. The lower limit of the analysis is determined by the ability to separate broad, low-intensity signals from the instrumental background.

With an angular resolution better than 0.03° 2Theta, high X-ray flux, and Dynamic Beam Optimization (DBO) that enables separation of broad peaks, the D6 PHASER is an excellent tool for studying crystallite size in a wide range of crystalline materials, including the L_c of calcined anode coke used in the electrolytic smelting of metals.

Producing healthy, high-quality food and feed products cost-efficiently is a challenge. In the food industry, regulations are becoming increasingly stringent and consumer safety is a top priority. In the animal feed industry, farmers expect payback for their investment into optimized feed and supplements. X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis is a powerful technique that can help the food and feed industry to achieve these goals. XRF enables rapid non-destructive analysis of macro- and micro-mineral nutrients and trace element contaminants in all sorts of raw materials, intermediate and final products. The samples can be analyzed without or after minimal sample preparation.

Bruker’s XRF spectrometers, like the S2 PUMA Series 2, are equipped with state-of-the-art hardware and software technology, ensuring the best analytical performance. At the same time, our XRF spectrometers are easy to operate and thus ideal for production environments. Raw material checks, production control, final product QC: all in one instrument!

In this short video on food and animal feed analysis, our XRF Product Manager, Dr. Adrian Fiege, showcases the S2 PUMA Series 2. To learn more, read our S2 PUMA Series 2 Food Brochure. Still hungry for more? Sign up for our September 26^th 9 am CEST or 4 pm CEST online seminar with live demonstration, Rapid and Easy Elemental Analysis for the Food Industry.

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