Dr. Nguyen The Quynh develops many new applied research directions in the field of materials science
Dr. Nguyen The Quynh was born in 1960, former Acting Head of the Department of Equipment and Analysis Methods Development, - Institute of Materials Science. He graduated from Hanoi University and received his Ph.D. in Atomic and Nuclear Physics in 2007. From the early days of working at Institute of Materials Science, he and his colleagues pursued the direction of research in the manufacture of nuclear radiation recording receivers and X-ray fluorescence spectrometers used to analyze the content of chemical elements in materials and formed a separate research direction on equipment design and manufacturing and build a dedicated analysis process. The group has researched and implemented the application of equipment and analytical methods in the field of industry, high-tech agriculture and especially the precious metal processing industry.
X-ray fluorescence spectrometers are state-of-the-art instruments for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the elemental composition of materials. The outstanding advantage of the method is the rapid simultaneous analysis of many elements, non-destructive samples, and samples can be in various forms such as solids, liquids, gasses, etc. the measurable content range from a few parts per million to 100%; high accuracy and repeatability, low operating costs... Therefore, X-ray fluorescence spectrometer systems are widely applied in the world in many socio-economic fields such as mining and mineral processing industry, cement production, non-ferrous metals, oil and gas, environmental protection, archaeology, medicine - biology, scientific research, technological process control, quality inspection and product classification. One of the applications of X-ray fluorescence spectrometers used in many countries around the world is to quickly determine the composition of rare elements in jewelry (measuring the age of gold, silver, and platinum) and is also the main field of application of many specialized devices developed by Dr. Quynh and colleagues fabricated.
Research and development of jewelry industry
In Vietnam, in the 1990s, X-ray fluorescence spectrometers were modern and expensive analytical equipment, the receiver recorded X-rays always had to be cooled with liquid nitrogen down to minus 1960C, the equipment was bulky, requiring the working environment to meet high standards. Grasping new technology, Dr. Quynh and her colleagues have researched and manufactured domestic X-ray fluorescence spectrometers very early. In 1989, his research team successfully developed a method for analyzing the gold content in a 2-component gold-silver alloy on an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, model SDG - 88 - 2048 and was tested on the market in the period of the country's renovation. At this time, the gold industry began to be free to trade and purchasing power increased rapidly because nearly 100 people's credit funds were "broken" and people immediately rushed to buy gold to hoard. The presence of X-ray fluorescence spectrometers and the research team's specialized analysis method of precious metals used for jewelry has made an important contribution to the domestic gold market such as: Transparent operation, minimizing gold age fraud, stability of the quality of gold exchanged in the market and guaranteed consumer rights better. After more than a year of testing, the Vietnam Institute of Metrology (under the Directorate for Standards, Metrology and Quality, Ministry of Science and Technology) calibrated the X-ray fluorescence machine, model SDG - 88 - 2048, using the national gold standard model, the analysis method of Dr. Quynh et al. has been recognized as the best method in determining the gold content (golden age) of exchange in the market. In 2002, the analytical method was included in the national standard TCVN 7055:2002, published for the 1st time "Gold and gold alloys - X-ray fluorescence method for determining gold content".
Constantly improving technology, Dr. Nguyen The Quynh and his colleagues have researched and replaced the sample stimulation source of 241Am with a 4W low-power X-ray lamp and produced systems with high radiation accuracy and safety. As a result, in 2013, from the original method of analyzing the content of gold and silver in 2-component alloys, it has now expanded the ability to accurately analyze the content of many components (Pt, Au, Ag, Pd, Rh, Cd, Ni, Cu, Zn...) in gold, jewelry gold, platinum jewelry, silver jewelry and gold association (intermediate alloys used to mix gold and platinum as jewelry) with high reliability. New analytical methods help decode and control technology across all stages of jewelry making.
For many years, the research team of Dr. Quynh has always accompanied the development of jewelry manufacturing and trading businesses. In response to the efforts of him and his colleagues, the portable golden age meter VietSpace - GT3000S received the second prize of the "Vietnam Science and Technology Innovation" Award - VIFOTEC in 2011; The equipment for rapid analysis of the composition of precious metals (gold, silver, platinum and gold association) of GT3000S type was awarded the Gold Cup at the International Technology Fair "International Techmart Vietnam 2012". As of 2014, there are nearly 100 golden age meters of the research team that have been operating at many business establishments, provincial standards and quality metrology departments in more than 30 provinces and cities across the country. In 2015, the team's research was granted a patent for useful solution 1526: "Standard Sample Set and Precious Metal Analysis Method for Jewelry". From 2017 to now, the team has successfully researched and developed the new generation of VietSpace model GT-4500 desktop X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for gold, platinum and silver jewelry. The new machine system and analysis method have higher accuracy, compact structure, simple use, fast analysis time, good warranty and have been successfully applied to many gold trading and jewelry manufacturing establishments in the country, meeting the national standard TCVN 7055:2014, published the 2nd edition "Gold and gold alloys - X-ray fluorescence method to determine gold content", creating a premise for jewelry manufacturing enterprises to produce high-end products.
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| Portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer Model: VietSpace - GT3000S | Desktop X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer Mode: VietSpace 4500 |
Useful solution 1526
Dr. Quynh shared: Vietnam's jewelry industry, especially silver making, is developing very well and has good prospects in the future. In order to promote the development of the industry, it is necessary to have better management measures such as the use of cadmium (2-3%) mixed with silver in jewelry making more beautiful products and is being very popular in Vietnam. However, cadmium is one of the three metals considered the most dangerous to the human body (the other two are lead and mercury) and is prohibited from being used in jewelry making in developed countries. Therefore, our country's silver jewelry products are very difficult to export in a selective market like Europe. He hopes that his and his colleagues' research will continue to contribute to the sustainable development of Vietnam's jewelry industry.
Developing new analytical methods in industry
X-ray fluorescence spectrometers are also used for quantitative analysis of chemical composition in raw materials on inorganic materials industrial production lines, especially in the cement industry. Since the 1990s, Dr. Quynh and her colleagues have researched, designed and manufactured a new generation of machines applied in the field of mineral extraction and processing.
At this time, the domestic energy-separated X-ray fluorescence spectrometer has not achieved the ability to resolve the X-ray spectral lines of light elements as efficiently as the imported wavelength separation spectrometer, and the X-ray collection speed of the machine is also poor. Meanwhile, these are the 2 main parameters that determine the accuracy of the analysis of the content of elements, especially light elements such as Si, Al, Mg. Therefore, large-capacity cement plants must use X-ray fluorescence spectrometers that are separated by the exclusive wavelength of a few major companies in the world. Embracing the new technology, the research team decided to embark on domestic equipment improvements. In 2009, the X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, using an electrically cooled X-ray receiver and an X-ray lamp excitation source, model XRF5006-HQ02 was successfully built to meet the practical requirements.
XRF-5006 - HQ02
In April 2014, the equipment and analysis methods of the authors' team were put into the Pen Son cement factory, Kim Bang, Ha Nam for testing. This process is analyzed and evaluated by the factory's technology experts. The results show that, basically, the machine system and method have met the requirements of material composition analysis for the domestic cement production industry and need to improve some techniques to be more suitable for the actual production line.
Next, the research team of Dr. Quynh has launched a new generation of machines applied in the field of mineral extraction and processing. It is a XRF5006-HQ02 machine system, with a higher configuration with a quantitative analysis program, which can be applied to many different types of materials such as: Phu Yen iron ore, Thai Nguyen ilmenite ore, Central Highlands bauxite, kaolin, zinc lead ore. Waste materials that pollute the environment from factories such as: Nix beads (from ship repair factories), ash dust (from thermal power plants, steel mills). The research results open up a new development direction with the ability to manufacture modern analytical equipment lines to meet development needs in many fields such as: Mineral processing, solid waste treatment, analysis of cultivated soil quality, archaeology, etc. The initiative from the design and manufacture of equipment, transfer of the analysis process, training of technical staff, warranty and repair of the research team has created more confidence for businesses and hopes that the equipment will be widely applied in practice in the near future.
Developing new analytical methods in agriculture
Following the success since 2015, Dr. Quynh and her colleagues have continued to improve and perfect new equipment and analytical methods applied in the field of agriculture. In 2020-2024, he and his colleagues applied new X-ray fluorescence analysis equipment and procedures unprecedented in international and national standards for fertilizer testing to analyze inorganic fertilizers in the topic: "Research and development of quantitative analysis methods for nutrients in NPK compound fertilizers by fluorescence method X-rays and chemical methods" (UDPTCN code 02/20 - 22). The VietSpace 5006 - 2020 XRF spectrometer has a high X-ray collection rate (250,000 pulses/second - 5 times higher than before the upgrade), overcoming the limitations of fertilizer quality assessment methods based on test results according to national standards currently used at designated laboratories. The research has been patented utility solution No. 2787: "Method for determining phosphorus content in NPK compound fertilizers".
Model: VietSpace XRF5006-2020
Utility solution patent photo No. 2787
With pre-built XRF equipment and analysis methods, businesses will promptly check the quality of raw materials to have calculation data, adjust production materials and check the quality of each stage, ensuring that the fertilizer products produced meet the design quality level. The study can be applied to many relevant units such as the Sub-Department of Standards, Metrology and Quality, the Provincial Market Surveillance Department to implement the state management of fertilizer quality and fertilizer production and trading enterprises.
In order for the new fertilizer analysis system and method to be widely applied in provinces and cities across the country, it is necessary to have the efforts and companionship of many relevant units. Following this project, Dr. Quynh and her colleagues will propose to the Plant Protection Department and the Vietnam Institute of Quality Standards to conduct an appraisal to soon convert the new fertilizer analysis process to the basic standard of the Institute of Materials Science and proceed to be recognized as a national standard.
After more than 30 years, X-ray fluorescence spectrometers and specialized analytical methods have made a significant contribution to the development of gold refining and processing technology and are more promising in the fields of mineral extraction and processing, and agriculture. TS. Quynh believes that the research direction that he and his colleagues have worked hard to build will continue to be widely applied in social life and this will be an important original technology in the process of building a digital economy, green economy and circular economy.
Translated by Phuong Ha
Link to Vietnamese version
