APPLICATION OF PRESSURIZED SAMPLE PREPARATION METHODS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF STEELS AND COPPER-ALLOYS

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.