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Entries close August 31st – you’ve still got time!
A portable NIR analyser shines near-infrared light onto (or through) a sample, measures how the light is absorbed or reflected, then converts that signal into an identification or estimate of composition. The result comes from comparing the measured spectrum to a calibrated model, so accuracy depends on having the right calibration for your material and conditions.
NIR (near infra-red) spectroscopy is an analytical technique that measures how a sample absorbs and reflects near infra-red light to generate a spectral fingerprint. That fingerprint is used to estimate material properties such as composition, identity, or quality based on how the sample’s molecules interact with the light.
XRF cannot detect very light elements, specifically those with an atomic number lower than magnesium, like lithium, beryllium, carbon, or hydrogen. It also struggles with materials that aren’t the same all the way through or samples where the surface doesn’t match the inside. Because it only identifies elements, it cannot tell you how those elements are chemically bonded together.
XRF can detect most elements on the periodic table, generally starting from magnesium (atomic number 12) through to uranium (atomic number 92). It is particularly good at identifying metals like gold, silver, iron, and copper. It can also find heavy metals and environmental contaminants like lead or arsenic in very small amounts.
An XRF analyser measures the individual elements that make up a material. It tells you both what is in the sample (qualitative) and exactly how much of it is there (quantitative). It is most commonly used to check the chemistry of metals, soil, rocks, and various manufactured goods.
A handheld XRF analyser works by firing X-rays into a sample, which causes the atoms inside to release their own energy. The device has a built-in detector that catches this energy to identify the elements and calculate their concentrations. This gives you a full chemical breakdown on a screen in just a few seconds while you are out in the field.
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is a non-destructive way to figure out what elements are inside a material. By hitting a sample with X-rays, the device measures the “glow” or fluorescent X-rays coming back to identify exactly what is there and in what amount.