[Ifeffit] Re: Water-free binder advice

Hi Paul, I use BN as diluting medium for pellet preparation, too (150-200 mg BN for 13 mm diameter pellets), also for air sensitive samples. It should not absorb much water and you can dry it under vacuum, if you want to be sure that it is totally anhydrous. As air-tight, low X-ray-attenuating bag, I use pouch foil (for coffee-bag battery test cells, the foil with the thinnest Al layer). You can seal the pouch foil under low vacuum also to monitor where you pellet is. It should be virtually air tight for weeks (it depends on how thick the sealing margin is, air slowly permeates through the sealing plastic: the thickest, the slowest the permeation. Best regards, Michele