Independent Mineral Standards (IMS), an ISO17034 accredited manufacturer and certifier of mineral reference materials, introduces IMS135, a high purity alpha-alumina powder used in Quantitative X-ray Diffraction (QXRD) analysis.
Quantitative X-ray Diffraction is an important analytical technique used in mining and engineering-materials applications for the determination of mineralogical or crystallographic content. One of the limitations of the technique, and difficulties with the XRD pattern interpretation and quantification comes about when poorly ordered, or amorphous minerals are present in the sample. This is often the case with samples containing clays and other weathered silicates and hydroxides. As such, the measurement of the amorphous content within the sample is critical to accurate quantitative analysis. Whether a reference intensity ratio or Rietveld pattern profiling methodology is used, a precise spike addition or an external measurement of a stable material with a known level of crystallinity can be used to determine the amorphous content of the sample. Alpha-alumina, or corundum, is a commonly used material for this purpose, with NIST SRM676a the standard reference material over the years.
To meet ongoing demand, reference material IMS135 has been manufactured and certified to replace NIST SRM676a stocks that are near depletion. IMS135 is a high-purity alpha-alumina powder with near-identical particle size, trace level impurities, and an equally high corundum concentration level compared to NIST SRM676a.
IMS135 is certified using ISO Guide 35 methodology with NIST SRM676a as a reference. The certificate includes the percentage alpha-alumina content and an estimate of the uncertainty, alongside a detailed trace element analysis by XRF and laser ablation ICP-MS.
Make an Enquiry about IMS135 by clicking the link below. Download the IMS135 Certificate by clicking here.
