LOW-VOLTAGE ENERGY-DISPERSIVE X-RAY LIGHT-ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF CERAMICMATERIALS AND COATINGS

Low-voltage scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to excite light -element X-rays which are detected using a thin-window energy-dispersi ve X-ray spectrometer (EDS). Two separate systems (Si-C-B ceramic coat ings and a set of commercial ceramic fibers) are examined and data int erpreted using a physical mixture of standards in one case and by the use of an empirical correction to commercial software in the other. Bo th approaches yield semiquantitative results that are in agreement wit h other testing protocols.