J. Borszeki et al., APPLICATION OF PRESSURIZED SAMPLE PREPARATION METHODS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF STEELS AND COPPER-ALLOYS, Talanta, 41(7), 1994, pp. 1089-1093
Pressurized sample preparation devices (High Pressure Asher, Pressuriz
ed Microwave Digestion system, compared with a PTFE decomposition vess
el) were used to dissolve certified metal alloy samples (steel, copper
) for ICP analysis. Based on the results of the analysis it was establ
ished that both up-to-date devices can be advantageously applied to qu
ickly and quantitatively dissolve metal alloy samples. To dissolve the
samples, two different kinds of acid mixtures (A: nitric and hydrochl
oric acid; B: nitric and hydrochloric and sulphuric and phosphoric aci
d) were used. The sample preparation is simpler and less time-consumin
g than the earlier commonly used methods, sample loss and degree of co
ntamination are also reduced. Steel samples containing tungsten, titan
ium and niobium (less than 0.5%) can only be analyzed using a mixture
of the four acids. By dissolving steel samples in the nitric and hydro
chloric acid mixture, the concentration of their most common elements
(Cr, Ni, Mn, V, Cu) as well as their S and P content can be determined
. Copper alloy samples can be dissolved quickly by the pressurized mic
rowave decomposition device using hydrochloric acid and diluted (1:1)
nitric acid.