Arc/Spark Optical Emission Spectroscopy

Arc/Spark Optical Emission Spectroscopy is an analytical technique used to obtain the elemental composition of different alloys with varying base materials.  An electrical arc is passed through a sample, under an argon atmosphere, heating and exiting the atoms within the material.  While discharging energy the atoms give off a characteristic wavelength of light that is detected and measured to obtain an accurate weight percentage of the elements present in the sample.

 

EPI-MTG has a Thermo Scientific ARL 3460 Metals Analyzer.  We are capable of analyzing metals that have a base material of Iron, Nickel, and Copper.

X-ray Diffraction
 

X-ray Powder Diffraction gives us the capability to not only identify a sample elementally, but to identify the chemical compounds present in your sample as well.  As you can see in the image above we identified two different Calcium Carbonate phases, and Silicon Dioxide as well.  We have utilized this technique to help our clients identify samples from a myriad of environments and locations.  From corrosion product and solids removed from filtration systems, to drilling mud and geological samples we have it covered.

This is a 50x photo of the cross section of a CN7M valve body, chemically etched with a mixture of HCl and FeCl3.  The photo shows intergranular cracking and large grains measuring approximately .25" wide.