What is the effect of ionic strength on mapping by SEM-EDS? For example, if we assume that the ionic strength of the solution consisting of MnSO4 and water is fixed with NaNO3, if we produce a film from this solution, how will the results change when we map it? Also, do you know of any article that includes not only a chemical but also a physical interpretation of this? Can you share if any?
So you are doing ambient pressure SEM-EDS on a thin film of electrolyte solution, right?
EDS is generally not resolving high enough to observe the shifts XPS would show; since the ionic strength is only calculated from concentrations and charges, one factor, i.e. the charge, falls away. EDS measures the stoichiometry, although in individual cases the accuracy may be an object of debate. The stoichiometry of the film as a whole and the concentrations are from the perspective of the EDS two sides of the same coin. Therefore I think arguing with ionic strength instead of just the concentrations is an unnecessarily complicated way of looking at it.
