Xrf analysis and elemental mapping laboratories with MicroVision Laboratories, Inc.? Approach: MicroVision Labs’ staff consulted with the client, and determined that, unfortunately, there could be a number of potential sources of a white material. Even before the bottle with the suspended material arrived, it was determined that there was less than 50 mL of water remaining, and likely less than a gram of material suspended in the water. The client was aware that this material could represent precipitated minerals from the source water, a polymer residue from the bottles, some form of biological tissue that might have formed despite sterilization procedures, or could very well represent some completely unforeseen foreign material. The issue facing the client is how to have the material tested, as most tests that they might request for one or the other of these known potential sources would destroy or alter the sample. Choosing a test was therefore something of a gamble, because if they tested for calcium (mineral precipitate) and it came up negative – that didn’t actually tell them what the powder was, just that it didn’t have any calcium. Based on this conversation, the non-destructive, specialized testing at MicroVision Laboratories was chosen as the best choice.
Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) identifies the elements present in a sample by analyzing the X-rays generated by the electron beam of the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), making it an indispensable tool. Since X-rays are only generated from the area of the surface excited by the small electron beam, spectra of individual areas or particles can be obtained. Spectral information can therefore be generated for an entire field of view by scanning the beam, providing an elemental map. With the high count rate and excellent signal to noise ratio of our advanced QDD EDS detectors, high resolution data sets are collected and analyzed in minutes, rather than days. This elemental mapping technique allows our clients to immediately visualize the chemical landscape in their samples. Additionally, since the entire spectra is stored for each pixel, areas of interest that are identified later can be examined in detail, without ever having to re-image the sample. Other labs can’t touch the quality and visual impact of the elemental maps we produce here at MicroVision Labs.
What if I want a service not listed in your services list? At MicroVision Labs the list of services which we provide to our clients is constantly growing. So if you don’t see what you are looking for give us a call or use the Contact Us tab. Also don’t forget to check our Additional Services Page to see if it might be listed there. Can you identify a contamination or unknown for us? Yes, we call that an Unknown Material ID and we routinely work on that kind of project. We have a number of individual tests designed to classify unknown materials. When combined with our extensive suite of equipment, these tests allow us to identify virtually any material. Give us a call and talk to one of our knowledgeable staff for more information. Find a few more details on view.
A device manufacturer had a product that involved a few different boards with varying components. There were circumstances that caused the need for a change in manufacturers of one of the boards. Due to this change, the device production at this facility would be shut down until the boards from this new vendor were validated. The Quality Control department required that an inspection of the solder joints of some of the components on the board be analyzed in order to determine whether this new board manufacturer met their specifications. If the desired specifications were met and no issues were found during the inspection of the joints then production of the devices could resume.
MicroVision Laboratories, Inc. has been providing extensive expertise in micro-analytical techniques (FE-SEM, SEM, EDS, XRF, FTIR testing, PLM, X-Ray Imaging, DIC) and sample preparation since 2003. Our cutting edge, high-performance equipment combined with our solutions-focused customer service provide critical solutions for clients hailing from a broad range of industries ranging from medical to semiconductor, and from environmental to textile.
Examining the sample with a polarized light microscope (PLM), it was darker and coarser than expected for a mold sample. The dust appeared to be a closed cell, synthetic blown foam material, and all from the same source. The black color was likely due to pigment particles added to color the foam. Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy was performed on the foam particles. The spectrum showed a mixture of spectral features, associated with vinyl acetates, polyurethane, and cellulose or other sugar-like polymers. Based on these features, a common urethane acetate foam was determined as the likely source material. Discover a few more details on https://microvisionlabs.com/.
