I am wondering why there is a variation in the theoretical atomic percentage in Ni-Cu ferrites and the percentage atom values found from EDX spectra. In the case of Fe and O, there exists this difference for all of my samples. If it exists the same after the second or third trial from EDX spectra, how can I explain the reason for this discrepancy in the literature? Would you please provide your explanation with references? As I saw from the literature, people usually do not talk about the difference in calculated and observed values of atomic percentage, rather they find whether all elements are present in the spectra and the total should give 100 % atom.
Thank you in advance.
The explanation lies simply in the EDS analysis and not EDX which is a brand of equipment and often I find these initials used by different authors. It is a spectroscopic analysis technique (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) associated with SEM. The variation in the theoretical atomic percent in Ni-Cu ferrites and the atomic percent values found from the EDS spectra is due to how you performed these analyzes, whether you did a maping or point analysis . Also do you use a qualitative or quantitative analysis, because the percentages calculated after correction are not the same. In addition, for light atoms such as O, it is difficult to quantify these light atoms. You can then give these reasons.
For references, you can use these references where we used the EDS analysis:
Nibou D and Amokrane S, Mechanism of Cu2+ ions uptake process by synthetic NaA zeolite from aqueous solution: Characterization, Kinetic, intra-crystalline diffusion and thermodynamic studies, Journal of Molecular Liquids, in press 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2020.114642
Sebati F., Nibou D., Amokrane S., Comparative study of the adsorption and photo-reduction of hexavalent chromium onto AlPO4-11 and SAPO-31 substituted Fe2O3 from aqueous solutions: Synthesis, characterization, kinetic and thermodynamic studies. Sep. Sci. Tech. Articles in press 2020, https://doi.org/10.1080/01496395.2020.1808684.
Dear Dr Md: Please take a look at the following useful links:
https://www.researchgate.net/post/How-to-interpret-EDX-Spectra-And-difference-between-Element-Wt-and-Atom
https://www.researchgate.net/post/EDX-analysis
Quantitative EDX analysis for your specimens is very difficult task because of presence of oxygen. You need highly qualified operator and set of rather expensive standards. If you really need good analysis go for some other method, not EDX. If your specimens do not differ in composition too much, you can compare heights of peaks: higher peak, higher concentration. By the way EDS and EDX are interchangeable abbreviations, EDX being a bit more precise in meaning, and EDS being used a bit more often.
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