For the preparation of pressed pellets for XRF, in most cases, a binder is required. One of the traditional materials used as a binder or backing material is boric acid. However, recently this will be classified by REACH as toxic. Based on this health issue, boric acid is now not considered an appropriate material for this application.

Customer feedback for the use of the new BOREOX backing material:
´...it gives very good pressed pellets, earlier with the Boric acid we used Al-cups but that is not needed anymore due to the very good and strong pellet that we get with Boreox. I can also inform you that the Boreox is much better as a background for our XRD samples then the Boric acid. As you may know the Boric acid give big peaks on XRD and as we run XRD in vacuum, we must use a pressed sample for powders.'

From DEGERFORS LABORATORIUM AB, Ingvar Bernhardsson, Sweden


FLUXANA can now offer:

BOREOX, a direct replacement. This is a harmless organic material which shows excellent binding properties and high stability under x-rays. It is particularly good when used as a backing material.

CEREOX can be used alternatively, CEREOX is comprised of a wax, previously known as Hoechstwax. This material is clean and very stable under x-rays. Mixed with a sample (1 part wax to 4 parts sample) CEREOX forms a perfect pellet with any material.

CELLEOX is a cellulose based binder. The binding properties are not so good as BOREOX and CEREOX. Therefore it is mostly used as grinding aid. A particular property is the adsorption of liquids so it can be used, mixed with aggressive liquids, for analysis in a sample cup.

MULTIMIX is a grinding aid which is harder than CELLEOX and especially good for hard sample materials such as cement or sand. Typically, 2 to 3 0.25 gram tablets would be added to 30 gram of sample in the mill.

Sample and binder must be mixed homogeneously. FLUXANA recommends their automatic mixer
MU-K-Mixer