Bruker’s XRF and XRD systems in the Cement Industry: A Success Story!

X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) are essential analytical techniques for the modern cement industry. Both techniques are inevitable to produce high-quality cement in a cost-effective manner. In the coming years and decades, with increasing demand for quality assurance and CO₂ emission reduction, the need for precise and fast analytical tools you can rely on 24/7/365 is expected to increase even further. To meet these challenges, you can trust in Bruker as the leading partner for XRF and XRD solutions for the cement industry.

Bruker’s XRF and XRD systems are used across the globe in all steps of the cement production chain (see Figure 1). Our top-of-the-line floor-standing instruments, the S8 TIGER Series 2 (WDXRF) and the D8 ENDEAVOR (XRD), are the analytical workhorses of the cement industry. Our benchtop systems (e.g., S2 PUMA Series 2, EDXRF) are perfect as a backup or also as the main instrument at smaller mines, production sites, and raw mills.

Bruker User Experience: Ash Grove Cement

In this testimonial video, Dr. Cheng Qi (Technical Center Director at Ash Grove Cement, US), explains the importance of X-ray equipment (XRF, XRD) for the success of the company. Bruker’s XRF and XRD systems ensure smooth production of high-quality cement. Dr. Qi highlights the benefits of a partnership with Bruker, including excellent training experience, high system uptime, and impressive service availability.

In a Nutshell: XRF and XRD in Cement

XRF is used to determine the elemental composition in the multiple production steps, starting from the raw materials at mining sites and finishing with final quality checks of the different cement products. Of course, our XRF spectrometers can analyze cement materials according to international norms like ASTM C114 and ISO 29581-2 / DIN EN 196-2.

XRD, on the other hand, is used to determine the crystalline structure of cement and its raw materials. By analyzing the diffraction pattern, XRD can identify and quantify the mineral phases present in a sample. Bruker’s diffractometers even allow the detection and quantification of early hydration, which may occur in the cement mill or silo.

Alternative fuels are becoming increasingly popular in the cement industry due to their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, the use of alternative fuels can affect the chemical and mineralogical composition of cement, and thus its properties. XRF and XRD are used to monitor these changes and to ensure that the resulting cement meets industry standards. Bruker’s unique PETRO-QUANT solution is ideal for the accurate analysis of alternative fuels, covering 32 elements including Na, S, Cl, V, Cr, Ni, As, Cd, and Pb.

Clinker substitution is another area where XRF and XRD can be used. By replacing a fraction of the clinker in cement with alternative materials, such as fly ash, slag, or limestone, the CO₂ emission can be reduced. XRF and XRD are required to ensure that the resulting cement products meet industry quality and performance standards.

Find out more about Bruker’s solutions for the cement analysis on our Cement and Concrete applications page. 

Bruker Cement Event: Available On-Demand

In our online seminar on December 14th, 2022, about the applications and benefits of XRF and XRD in the cement industry, a broad audience enjoyed a lively and interactive event. We discussed how the latest Bruker technology supports the production of high-performance cement at the lowest cost. We would like to express our sincerest thanks to all of you for making our seminar such a resounding success. Your active participation, insightful questions, and engaging discussion truly made it an enriching experience for everyone involved.

In case you missed the event, you can get access to the recording and presentation on our event page, Production of High-Performance Cement at Lowest Costs enabled by Latest Analytical Technology.

Ever-increasing concern over the environmental damage caused by CO₂ emissions, soaring energy prices and the possibility of looming energy shortages, mean that everyone has a responsibility to reduce energy consumption. Bruker has recently prepared a white paper to examine the energy savings that can be achieved using state-of-the art microfocus X-ray sources. Almost two decades of continuous innovation in microfocus source technology means that you are today able to benefit from very high brightness X-ray sources, such as the IμS DIAMOND II, that consume only 2.5% as much energy as earlier source technologies of similar brightness. Not only is this helping to reduce your lab’s CO₂ footprint, but also provides savings in electricity costs of tens of thousands of dollars each year.

The Q4 POLO Spark Optical Emission Spectrometer (OES) is the ideal tool for the accurate analysis of nickel alloys. Able to monitor main elements, determine trace elements, and deliver results on all relevant alloying elements, the Q4 POLO provides excellent analytical performance. Nickel and its alloys are used directly in some applications, such as heat resistance in automotive parts, and also as an alloying element in other applications, such as corrosion resistance in stainless steel. This lab report describes the reproducibility and accuracy of the Q4 POLO in the elemental analysis of four reference materials containing nickel: Monel 400, Alloy 201, Incoloy 800, and Hastelloy X.

Earlier this year, an XRD customer with a D2 PHASER and LabScape Maintenance Service Agreement coverage needed urgent assistance. They purchased a new external PC from a different vendor for their benchtop instrument, but could not get it to communicate with the D2 PHASER. They were also under pressure to complete an experiment with an aggressive timeline. This customer reached out to Pete Janutolo, XRD Support Supervisor, in our Madison, Wisconsin office for help.

Pete met with the customer's team and noted their issues and time-sensitive challenge. He created an actionable list to describe what he would do, in what order, so the customer could be aware of the detailed plan. He then executed each item with clear instructions for the customer.

Unfortunately, a series of new and unexpected complications threatened to derail their plans again. The customer got back in touch with Pete, and Pete quickly created a new action plan to get these new issues resolved with the same efficiency and clarity as the initial problem.

Due to the expertise and calm of our technical support staff, the customer was able to breathe easier and have the system fully functional and collecting data, well ahead of their ambitious timeline. For Pete, this was just another day in his support role. For the customer, this was a smooth and pleasant experience that demonstrated Bruker’s level of customer care. From remote support to on-site visits, customer experience is always our top priority.

X-Ray Reflectometry (XRR) is a unique analysis technique that allows for the non-destructive and calibration-free investigation of the structural properties of thin films down to the sub-nanometer scale. This includes layer thickness, roughness, mass density, and chemical composition, regardless of whether the films are amorphous, liquid, polycrystalline, or epitaxial.

Microgels, consisting of spherical colloidal networks of intramolecularly crosslinked hydrophilic polymer chains, are able to store large amounts of water. This is associated with a large increase in volume, which causes the microgel to be in a swollen state at ambient conditions. The temperature-dependent deswelling of microgel thin films was studied using XRR. The results and conclusions can be found in this Application Note.

The study found that subsequent heating of the microgel film led to dehydration of the gel accompanied by a decrease in its layer thickness. Non-ambient XRR was able to precisely track these thickness changes and determine at which temperature the film was entirely dehydrated, allowing for the calculation of a water storage figure of merit.

To carry out this study, a microgel film was deposited on a single-crystalline silicon wafer and measured on a D8 diffractometer equipped with a Cu radiation sealed ceramic tube. A TC-REFLECTOMETRY chamber was used to heat up the sample. The temperature of the sample was successively increased from 40°C to 100°C, in steps of 10°C, and held constant for 2 minutes before each measurement.

The data was then analyzed using DIFFRAC.XRR, which offers a workflow designer that allows for the batch evaluation of measurement series. The sample was modeled, and a fit was generated at one curve, while all user actions were recorded by the workflow designer. The recorded workflow was then executed on all scans within the measurement series.

This study demonstrates the power of XRR in investigating the physical properties of surfaces and thin films. With its ability to provide precise measurements of layer thickness, roughness, mass density, and chemical composition, XRR is an invaluable tool for researchers and engineers alike.

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