Detection of Trace Impurity Elements In High-Entropy Alloys by Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence Method and Sample Preparation Methods

Abstract

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) have been widely used and concerned in recent years due to their excellent material properties. The impurity elements in alloys can exert a certain impact on the alloy properties even at a lower content. In this study, total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) was combined with suspension sample preparation methods to measure the trace impurity elements in three common high-entropy alloy powders. The high-Z elements (Ca, Mn) and the low-Z elements (Mg, Al) in the impurity elements were quantitatively determined by internal standard method and calibration curve method, respectively. Then, compared with the detection results of inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES), the detection of the high-Z elements showed a good consistency. Although there was some deviation in the influence of physical mechanisms on the low-Z elements, their qualitative analysis and quantitative estimation could still be conducted. It is proved that the TXRF method is an effective analytical tool for the detection of impurity elements in high-entropy alloys. Moreover, through the suspension sample preparation methods, the TXRF detection process is non-destructive, fast, and low-cost, with less sample demands. Therefore, the TXRF method is suitable for rapid element detection in the production of high-entropy alloys.

Keywords: TXRF, High-entropy alloys, Trace detection