A facile heating cell forin situtransmittance and fluorescence X-ray absorption spectroscopy investigations

Abstract

A facile heating cell has been designed forin situtransmittance and fluorescence X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements up to 1273 K under vacuum or an inert atmosphere. These high temperatures are achieved using a tantalum heating element by ohmic heating. Because of the small specific heat capacity, the temperature can be changed in a matter of minutes from room temperature to high temperature. Furthermore, a commercial power controller was adapted to provide stable temperature control. The construction of the heat shielding system provides a novel approach to reducing the beam's path length and the cell's size. The cell is inexpensive and easy to build. Its performance was evaluated byin situXAS measurements of the temperature-dependent structure of ceria nanocrystals. Some preliminary results for the structural mechanism in ceria nanocrystal redox applications are given.