XRDXRF

XRDXRF is an analytical technique that combines X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) into a single instrument or measurement workflow to provide both mineralogical phase information and elemental composition of a sample.

Typically, XRDXRF employs a common X-ray source to illuminate the sample. The diffracted X-rays are collected by a diffractometer and analyzed to identify crystalline phases using Bragg's law, while fluorescent X-rays emitted by elements in the sample are captured by an XRF detector to quantify elemental concentrations. In some configurations, the two datasets are acquired simultaneously using shared optics and sample positioning; in others, they are acquired sequentially.

Instrumentation often includes a sealed-tube or microfocus X-ray source, a goniometer, and detectors for XRD (solid-state or scintillation) and XRF (energy-dispersive or wavelength-dispersive). The sample is typically prepared as a flat mount for XRD, with preparation considerations to minimize preferred orientation and fluorescence effects.

Applications span geology and mineralogy for phase identification and compositional mapping, archaeology and art conservation for pigment and material characterization, cement and metallurgy for quality control, and materials science for phase and elemental analysis. Benefits include reduced sample handling, faster results, and improved correlation between mineralogy and composition; limitations involve trade-offs in instrument optimization, difficulties diagnosing amorphous content, matrix effects in XRF, and potential overlapping peaks in XRD.

See also: X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, WDXRF, EDXRF, combined diffraction-fluorescence analysis.