Project Details
Projekt
Total reflection / grazing incident X-ray fluorescence spectrometer
Subject Area
Analytical Chemistry
Term
Funded in 2025
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 565349219
The working group's research focuses on the development of innovative and sustainable analytical methods and materials for the valid and robust determination of trace elements in a wide variety of real samples. The broad analytical information gained from these methods, such as concentration analysis in the trace range, element distributions and nanoparticle characterization, is relevant in many fields - e.g. in materials science, biomedical and biological research as well as in environmental analysis. This strengthens the existing profile areas at Ulm University and supports the development of new ones. The research work of the working group includes the development of methods and (nano-)materials for sampling and sample preparation, calibration and measurement as well as innovative evaluation procedures. The measurement technology of total reflection X-ray fluorescence spectrometry plays a central role, as it is ideally suited for the development of sustainable, minimally invasive and direct multi-element analysis methods. The requested device enables quantitative multi-element analysis in micro-samples of various types that can be applied to smooth surfaces, as well as depth profile analysis and characterization of thin layers of up to several hundred nanometers and nanoparticles. The angle of incidence of the X-ray beam can be varied in steps of 0.001°, allowing the spectrometer to be used for grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence analysis. The spectrometer is equipped with a silicon drift detector with a large active area, which enables maximum sensitivity with detection limits in the range of a few picograms. The optional use of two different X-ray tubes as excitation sources and the possibility of nitrogen purging allow the interference-free and sensitive determination of all elements from sodium to uranium. The spectrometer configured in this way will be used to develop innovative analytical methods for the direct or minimally invasive determination of element traces and for the characterization of nanoparticles, thin films and interfaces. These can be used, for example, in biomedical research for the direct determination of trace elements in cell, tissue and blood samples from endocrinological as well as preclinical and clinical model studies. In the field of functional materials, for example, boundary layers on model electrodes of new battery materials can be analyzed in order to deepen our understanding of the formation of the solid-electrolyte boundary phase. In the field of environmental trace analysis, the device can be used to characterize innovative materials such as active films, nanomaterials, membranes and the like.
DFG Programme
Major Research Instrumentation
Major Instrumentation
Totalreflexions-Röntgenfluoreszenz-Spektrometer
Instrumentation Group
4030 Röntgenfluoreszenz-Spektrometer
Applicant Institution
Universität Ulm
