Forensic Comparison of Automotive Aluminum Wheel Fragments Using Synchrotron Radiation X-ray Fluorescence with 18- and 116-keV Excitation X-rays *
-
Yoshinori Nishiwaki [1] ; Yoshinori Nishiwaki [1]
-
[1] Kōchi University
Kōchi University
Japón
-
- Localización: Journal of forensic sciences, ISSN-e 1556-4029, ISSN 0022-1198, Vol. 64, Nº. 4, 2019, págs. 1034-1039
- Idioma: inglés
- Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
-
Resumen
The performance of synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) spectrometry for nondestructive discrimination of small fragments of automotive aluminum wheels was studied. Fragments (<500x500um2) of 45 kinds of wheels were first analyzed byscanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and then by SR-XRF. Despite the Mg/Al intensity ratio being a useful identification index, SEM-EDS was not efficient enough because of the absence of other meaningful indicators of comparison. Conversely, pairwise comparison was conducted and a 92.9% identification was achieved via SR-XRF using 18-keV X-rays. Trace heavy elements in the high-energy region were detected by SR-XRF using 116-keV X-rays, and an 82.9% identification was obtained. Combined use of 18- and 116-keV X-rays allowed 98.2% identification. Hence, SR-XRF is a powerful tool for nondestructive discrimination of automotive aluminum wheels with high precision using trace elements in a wide energy region.
