Biography
I completed my undergrad degree in Trinity College Dublin in 2013, and my PhD in Trinity College Dublin in 2017. My PhD thesis was titled "Very large bolide impacts: insight from melt products and element behaviour in the crater fill". In 2017 I started a research assistant position in iCRAG Labs in Trinity College Dublin as a SEM specialist.
Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) is a non destructive, rapid method for determining chemistry of minerals and glasses, yet it is not readily accepted over other more destructive techniques. I am developing techniques to improve the quality of element data collected using Scanning Electron Microscopes (SEM). Additionally I am training and assisting other iCRAG researchers and outside collaborators.
Technical description
My Research will aim to improve the quality of element data for mineral and glass samples and will increase acceptance of quantitative SEM-EDX data. Previously, within the geochemical community, EDX has typically been used for qualitative or semi-quantitative analysis, to determine what elements are present in a sample before undertaking quantitative analysis by wavelength dispersive spectroscopy (WDS). However compared to WDS, EDX has the advantage of being both quicker, less sensitive to sample surface topography. Importantly EDX also uses a much lower beam current than WDS, this means samples containing mobile volatile elements can accurately be analysed. With appropriate standards, fully quantitative EDX analysis can be as, if not more, accurate and precise as WDS. My research will investigate if this also applies to geological samples. Following on from this, I will be developing protocols for superfast EDX mapping of geological samples. My research will also look at developing combined EDX and EBSD and/or Raman analysis for polished and particulate samples for characterization of multiphase samples.
Role
- Postdoctoral Researcher
Institution
- TCD
Research Area
- Platform Technologies
Expertise
- Geochemistry
