The application of nuclear microprobe analysis in materials science

Abstract

The impetus for the refinement and renewal of daily-used products has spurred international interest in investigating the small in homogeneities that might exist in these products. This interest has become an important part in the design philosophy, which is based on structural information gained by the analysis of these products. It is this drive that initiated the study to investigate the simultaneous use of novel nuclear analytical techniques such as micro proton induced X-ray emission( u-PlXE), micro proton induced gamma-ray emission (u-PlGE) and micro proton backscattering (u-RBS) to achieved a broader and yet deeper insight into the fine structure of products. The fundamental underlying physical principles of these techniques are discussed to gain in-depth knowledge on how to them to obtain the desired information. Also determined was the degree of accuracy that could be attained in the application of this knowledge. These principles were evaluated in conjunction with the instrumentation with which the applicability of these techniques could then be further extended. More so is the use of sophisticated software that facilitated the use of both physical and instrumental parameters. After describing the necessary implements to achieve this further know-how, products of industrial origin were investigated to determine in homogeneities that existed in those products and compared those theoretical values. The first application was made to ceramic-based sorption electrodes to be used in the purification of wastewater.