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A variable ultra-short-pathlength solution cell for XAFS transmission spectroscopy of light elements.
John L Fulton1, Mahalingam Balasubramanian, Van-Thai Pham
1Chemical and Materials Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354, USA. john.fulton@pnnl.gov
Journal of Synchrotron Radiation
|October 25, 2012
Summary
A new X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (XAFS) cell enables high-quality solution studies of light elements. Its adjustable pathlength optimizes spectra acquisition and minimizes thickness-related distortions.
Area of Science:
- Analytical Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Spectroscopy
Background:
- X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (XAFS) is crucial for characterizing materials.
- Studying light elements in solution phase presents challenges due to absorption effects.
- Existing XAFS cells may lack flexibility for optimizing measurements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe a novel XAFS cell designed for solution-phase studies of light elements.
- To enable remote adjustment of the cell's pathlength for optimized spectral acquisition.
- To validate the cell's performance using aqueous chloride solutions.
Main Methods:
- Development of an XAFS cell with an ultra-short, remotely adjustable pathlength using a stepper-motor.
- Utilization of commercially available optical components for cell construction.
- Performance evaluation at the Cl K-edge (2.8 keV) with varying aqueous Cl(-) concentrations.
Main Results:
- The cell provides adjustable transmission pathlengths from submicrometer to several hundred micrometers.
- High-quality XAFS spectra were acquired, demonstrating the cell's effectiveness.
- The adjustable pathlength allowed for the assessment and mitigation of spectral distortions.
Conclusions:
- The developed XAFS cell offers a versatile solution for studying light elements in aqueous solutions.
- Remote pathlength adjustment enhances spectral quality and reliability.
- This technology facilitates advanced XAFS analysis for a range of light element species.
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