Elemental Mapping
Elemental Mapping - Related Videos
10:00
Energy Dispersive X-ray Tomography for 3D Elemental Mapping of Individual Nanoparticles
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Cited by 11 •
2016
The use of energy dispersive X-ray tomography in the scanning transmission electron microscope to characterize elemental distributions within single nanoparticles in three dimensions is described.
04:00
Periodic Classification of the Elements
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2020
The periodic table arranges atoms based on increasing atomic number so that elements with the same chemical properties recur periodically. When their electron configurations are added to the table, a periodic recurrence of similar electron configurations in the outer shells of these elements is observed. Because they are in the outer shells of an atom, valence electrons play the most important role in chemical reactions. The outer electrons have the highest energy of the electrons in an atom...
02:54
Classification of Elements and Compounds
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2020
Pure substances consist of only one type of matter. A pure substance can be an element or a compound. An element consists of only one type of atom, while a compound consists of two or more types of atoms held together by a chemical bond. Elements are classified as atomic or molecular based on the nature of their basic units. Compounds are pure substances composed of two or more elements in fixed, definite proportions. Compounds are classified as ionic or molecular (covalent) based on the bonds...
14:58
Quantifying X-Ray Fluorescence Data Using MAPS
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Cited by 25 •
2018
Here, we demonstrate the use of the X-ray fluorescence fitting software, MAPS, created by Argonne National Laboratory for the quantification of fluorescence microscopy data. The quantified data that results is useful for understanding the elemental distribution and stoichiometric ratios within a sample of interest.
02:31
Elements: Chemical Symbols and Isotopes
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2020
A chemical symbol is an abbreviation used to indicate an element or an atom of an element. For example, the symbol for mercury is Hg. The same symbol is used to indicate one atom of mercury (microscopic domain) or to label a container of many atoms of the element mercury (macroscopic domain). Some symbols are derived from the common English name of the element; others are abbreviations of the name in another language — Latin, Greek or German. For example, the symbol for aluminum (common name)...
FAQs
Element-specific signals provide the chemical contrast that makes a map interpretable. In an elemental mapping experiment, characteristic X-rays or mass spectra are collected from a sample or from defined positions during scanning. The resulting signal distribution is assigned to particular elements, allowing analysts to distinguish where each component occurs rather than relying only on an overall composition measurement.
The choice between scanning a sample and collecting measurements at defined positions determines how spatial information is assembled. Scanning surveys the material across locations, whereas position-based measurements build the distribution from selected points. This distinction matters when examining phases, impurities, reaction zones, or diffusion patterns, because the sampling approach influences which regions are represented in the final map.
Elemental maps help connect chemical composition with structure and function by showing whether elements are uniformly distributed or concentrated in particular regions. Concentration patterns can reveal distinct phases, localized impurities, reaction zones, or diffusion behavior. In chemistry, that spatial evidence adds context to elemental identity and can explain why different parts of a material exhibit different roles or performance.
Elemental mapping differs from a bulk composition result because it preserves location as an analytical variable. A bulk result may indicate which elements are present, while a map can show their arrangement within solids, powders, catalysts, or biological specimens. That distinction is especially useful when composition changes across a surface or when chemically different regions coexist.
A basic workflow begins by selecting the material and positions or scanning area to examine, then collecting element-specific signals across those locations. Analysts convert the measurements into a spatial distribution map and interpret the pattern in relation to the sample’s structure. This workflow supports examination of phases, impurities, reaction zones, and diffusion patterns.
Researchers apply elemental mapping when location-specific chemistry is important to the question. Supported uses include materials characterization, failure analysis, environmental studies, and development of chemical or functional materials. The approach is also relevant to surface composition and to biological specimens, where spatially resolved elemental information can help identify chemically distinct regions.