Multielement thin film standards for XRF analysis

Multielement thin film standards are made by mixing a solution of different elements and a radioactive tracer ( 24 Na) with the water soluble polymer mehtylcellulose. A film is produced by spreading the liquid mixture evenly on glass plates and letting it dry. Standards of the desired size and shape are punched out. The concentrations of the elements are calculated from the tracer activity. Ten sets of standards containing the elements Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Cs, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Ba and Pb in different groupings have been prepared. Homogeneity and accuracy oof the standards are extensively discussed. The accuracy is also estimated by the alalysis of the standards using several techniques. The precision of the analysis factors derived from the standards is better than 1–2%, while the accuracy for the elements Al, Cl, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Br, Sb, Ba and Pb is found to be better than 5%.