Elemental analysis of borosilicate, quartz, soda and lead glasses through energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) method

Abstract

Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) can be used for imaging samples at higher magnification of about one million times which we cannot achieve in the light microscope. The EDX analysis system works as an integral part of a SEM and cannot operate on its own. It is a technique used for identifying the elemental compositions, contaminants or defects of the samples. During the EDX analysis, the samples are bombarded with an electron beam as the experiment is well suited for electrically conducting samples. Glass is a poor conductor of electricity which needs to have a thin conductive coating to prevent the charging of electron. This work describes the output of the elemental analysis done in our laboratory for the above four glasses.