Laboratory

Osmium institutes offer a range of analyses using the latest technologies available on the market.

Osmium-Analytics is a specialist department of the Osmium Institutes. This materials analysis department is also available to external customers.

The basic offerings are:

Material analysis:

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of surfaces, coatings, particle analysis, contamination analysis, toxicity analysis, purity analysis. Most elements can be detected in solids as well as in liquids. Material analysis is usually used in the following areas:

Surveying and documentation

Small objects, tools, machine parts and all other types of objects and components are measured, weighed, scanned and stored as 2D images and 3D structures.

Damage and wear can be shown and scanned at extreme resolutions. Materials from your suppliers can be inspected.

Manufacturing tolerances on a micrometer scale are accurately measured and documented. Mapping of particles on surfaces can be done and defined particle counts are performed.

Basic Services

In earlier times, photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS analysis) or secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF SIMS) were the main methods used for material analyses of surfaces. For thin film analyses, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray microdomain analysis (EDX) or infrared spectroscopy (IR/ATR) were also commonly used.

All these techniques are nowadays replaced by laser-based material analysis, which allows to work under much simpler laboratory conditions and makes preparation almost completely unnecessary. Especially the speed and accuracy of the method are convincing.

In the past, additional methods had to be used for analysis if the material properties underneath one or more coatings were to be analyzed in addition to the surface.

Our task is the qualitative and quantitative analysis of pure materials, alloys, ores and mixtures. And this at the surface and underneath.

The composition of base materials and impurities is analyzed. For this purpose, the following elements are detected with regard to their proportion or, optionally, an overview of all contained and detectable elements or of the quantitative proportions of individual predefined elements is created. Individual elements can be excluded as targets of the investigation if required.

Main group elements:

H, Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, B, Al, Ga, In, Tl, C, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, P, As, Sb, Bi, O, Se, Te, F, Cl, Br, J

Subgroup elements:

Sc, Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Re, Fe, Co, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg.

Precious metals:

Ru, Os, Pd, Pt, Rh, Ir, Ag, Au

Lanthanides:

La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu.

All quantitative results of the measurements refer in each case to a defined site on a possibly inhomogeneous sample. For this reason, the location of the sample at which the analysis took place is documented by imaging.

Alternatively, matrix checks can be done over the surfaces or defined areas of the sample are identified and analyzed.

Statements about the contents of granular samples are complex without homogenization. Therefore, averages can be formed to estimate the entirety of the sample even without preparation. Alternatively, granules or parts of mixtures can be determined individually.

For all samples, the degree of penetration can be decisive for the accuracy of the measurements. We are also happy to prepare profile analyses of cut samples through the entire depth of the sample.