Comparison of a modified Kjeldahl and a vacuum fusion technique for determination of nitrogen in tantalum alloys

Results obtained for the determination of nitrogen in the tantalum alloys T-111 (Ta-8 W-2 Hf) and T-222 (Ta-10 W-2.5 Hf-0,1C) by Kjeldahl and vacuum fusion procedures are compared. Results obtained by each technique are shown for the determination of nitrogen m the MAB T-111 sample, two commercial T-111 samples and a commercial sample of T-222 alloy. In the 5-25 ppm range, the relative standard deviation was 3-9% by the Kjeldahl procedure and 4-8% by vacuum fusion. This is a measure of the homogeneity of the material as well as of the reproducibility of the results. The agreement of the results obtained by these two techniques increases confidence in the vacuum fusion results for nitrogen in tantalum.     

X-Ray spectrographic determination of tantalum in niobium by electron excitation

An X-ray method is proposed for the determination of tantalum in niobium by direct electron excitation. The optimum excitation conditions for greatest sensitivity are given. The limit of detection for a counting time of 400 sec was found to be 20 p.p.m. The relative standard deviation in the 0.4–5% concentration range was ±2%.     

A multicommuted flow system for the determination of copper, chromium, iron and lead in lubricating oils with detection by flame AAS

In this work, a flow analysis procedure for the determination of copper, chromium, iron and lead in lubricating oils using flame AAS as detection technique is described. The flow manifold was designed to implement the multicommutation approach and it comprised three 3-way solenoid valves controlled by a personal computer. The flow system presented allowed to process the oil samples to determine wear metals without any prior preparation. Aiming to assess accuracy the results were compared with those obtained by manual procedure using flame AAS. Applying the joint-confidence ellipse test, no significant difference at the 95% confidence level was observed. Other profitable features such as a sample throughput of 50 determinations per hour; relative standard deviations (n = 5) below 2% for Cu, and below 8% for Cr, Fe and Pb; and linear responses in the range 0–40 ppm (w/w) (Cu, Fe) and 0–15 ppm (w/w) (Cr, Pb) were also achieved.     

Simultaneous determination of trace niobium, tantalum and tungsten in ferrous and non-ferrous alloys

A method is presented for the determination of niobium, tantalum and tungsten in steel and non-ferrous alloys, based on hydrolysis with sulphurous acid followed by X-ray fluorescence measurements. The limit of determination is about 0.002% and the standard deviation is 0.002 at the 0.05% level. Results below 0.01% by this method are only semiquantitative.     

Differential Pulse Polarographic Determination of Gallium and Niobium in Samples After Preconcentration of Their Quinolin-8-Olate Complexes on Microcrystalline Naphthalene

Abstract

Gallium and niobium react with quinolin-8-ol to form water insoluble complexes which are quantitatively adsorbed on microcrystalline naphthalene from the large volume of their aqueous solutions in the pH range of 3.5 - 8.2 and 6.2 - 9.4, respectively. After filtration, the metal complexes were desorbed with 10 ml of HCl (1M for Ga and 11 M for Nb) and determined by using a differential pulse polarograph (DPP). The dissolved oxygen is removed by adding a few milliliters of 4% NaBH₄ solution in the case of gallium. The detection limits are 0.04 ppm for gallium and 0.05 ppm for niobium at the minimum instrumental settings (signal to noise ratio = 2). The linearities are maintained in the concentration range 0.1 - 5.0 ppm for gallium and 0.4 - 6.0 ppm for niobium with correlation factors of 0.9997 and 0.9996 and relative standard deviations of 0.81 and 0.95%, respectively.

Characterization of the electroactive process included an examination of the degree of reversibility. Various parameters such as the effect of pH volume of aqueous phase, reagent and naphthalene concentrations and the interference of a large number of anions and cations on the estimation of these elements were studied in detail. The method is found to be highly selective, fairly sensitive, rapid, simple and economical. It has been applied for the trace determination of gallium and niobium in various standard alloys and may be applied safely for the analyses of complex materials like environmental samples and ores.

     

Spectrophotometric determination of niobium in steels with 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol

A direct method is presented for the spectrophotometric determination of niobium with PAR in mild and alloy steels. Interference is caused only by tantalum and large amounts of copper. A compensating solution is used to correct for coloured ions and for the copper-PAR complex. The method covers the range 0–100 mg of niobium, and Beer's law is obeyed from 0 to 2.0μg Nb/ml. A molar absorptivity of 14,400 at 536 nm was found for the niobium-PAR complex, with a relative standard deviation of ±0.6%.     

Criteria for selecting analytical wavelengths for multicomponent mixtures by the CPA matrix method and simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of niobium and tantalum

The reversed matrix representation of the Lambert-Beer law (CPA matrix method) is applied in simultaneous spectrophotometric determinations. Restrictions on the selection of analytical wavelengths in applying the CPA matrix method are investigated experimentally and theoretically. Four criteria for selecting suitable wavelengths are described. A spectrophotometric procedure for niobium and tantalum with salicylfluorone and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide in the presence of tartaric acid was developed and used for the simultaneous determination of niobium and tantalum by the CPA matrix method. The absorption maxima were at 520 and 513 nm, respectively. Measurements at six wavelengths in the range 500–530 nm provided data from which niobium (0.04–0.4 μm ml^?1) and tantalum (0.08–0.8 μg ml^?1) were evaluated, with relative standard deviations of <2.     

Spectrophotometric flow injection determination of chloride in ethanol

A flow injection procedure is described for the spectrophotometric determination of chloride in ethanol, based on the mercury(II) thiocyanate—iron(III) reaction. Effects of reagent composition and ethanol content of the sample are investigated in detail. The proposed system can analyse 120 samples of ethanol (94–100% v/v) per hour, with a relative standard deviation lower than 1%, when the chloride content ranges from 0.1–6.0 ppm. Recoveries of ca. 96% are found.     

Differential pulse polarographic determination of trace amounts of vanadium and molybdenum in various standard alloys and environmental samples after preconcentration of their morpholine-4-carbodithioates on microcrystalline naphthalene or morpholine-4-dithiocarbamate cetyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide-naphthalene adsorbent

A highly selective, sensitive, and fairly rapid and economical differential pulse polarographic (DPP) method has been reported for the determination of trace amounts of vanadium and molybdenum in standard alloys and various environmental samples. The morpholine-4-carbodithioates of these metals were retained (>99% recovery) quantitatively on microcrystalline naphthalene in the pH range 4.5-6.9 for vanadium and 1.5-4.5 for molybdenum. These metals were determined by DPP after desorption with 10 ml of 1 M HCl. Vanadium and molybdenum may also be preconcentrated by passing their aqueous solutions under similar conditions on morpholine-4-dithiocarbamate CTMAB-naphthalene adsorbent packed in a column at a flow rate of 1-5 ml min(-1) and determined similarly. The detection limits are 0.20 ppm for vanadium and 0.04 ppm for molybdenum at minimum instrumental settings (signal to noise ratio=2). The linearity is maintained in the following concentration ranges, vanadium 0.50-10.0 and molybdenum 0.10-9.0 ppm, with a correlation factor of 0.9996 (confidence interval of 95%, slopes 0.0196 and 0.01497 muA mug(-1), intercepts 3.65x10(-3) and -1.92x10(-3) respectively) and relative standard deviation of 1.1% in the microcrystalline method, while in the column method, the linearity is maintained in the concentration ranges, 0.50-6.5 for vanadium and 0.10-5.5 ppm for molybdenum with correlation factor of 0.9994 (with confidence interval of 95%, slopes 0.0194, 0.015 muA mug(-1), intercepts 3.60x10(-3) and -1.90x10(-3) respectively) and relative standard deviation of 1.4%. Various parameters such as the effect of pH, reagent, naphthalene and CTMAB concentrations, volume of aqueous phase and interference of a large number of metal ions on the estimation of vanadium and molybdenum have been studied in detail to optimize the conditions for their voltammetric determination at trace level in various standard alloys and environmental samples.     

Determination of niobium in zirconium-niobium alloys

A rapid control determination of niobium in 50% zirconium/50% niobium master-alloy is described; it is a direct spectrophotometric procedure, based on the reaction of niobium ions with hydrogen peroxide in concentrated sulphuric acid. The procedure is suitable for the examination of zirconium alloys containing niobium in the range 0.1 to about 60%. At least 1% of chromium, cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel or tantalum, does not interfere. Interference due to optical absorption by the peroxy-complexes of titanium, tungsten, molybdenum and vanadium is not significant in the determination of niobium above about 1%, provided that these metals are not in excess of about 0.5%, 0.25%, 0.1% and 0.02%, respectively. To compensate for optical absorption due to iron(III), a solution of the sample, not treated with peroxide, is used.     

Determination of aluminium in plutonium metal by differential linear sweep oscillographic polarography

A procedure has been developed for the polarographic determination of aluminium in plutonium. The plutonium is separated by anion-exchange in a nitrate medium, and the aluminium is determined in the eluate by use of Superchrome Garnet Y. The aluminium concentration range in the polarographed solutions is 0.020–0.800 μg/ml. The average recovery of aluminium was 99.3 %, relative standard deviation 7.2%. Of 20 common impurities found in plutonium métal, only molybdenum and titanium cause significant interference; both can be removed by ion-exchange.     

Colorimetric determination of niobium in titanium alloys

There is need for a method for the determination of niobium in titanium alloys, since niobium-titanium alloys are becoming increasingly important. The determination of niobium in this type of alloy is an extremely difficult matter. Many approaches were tried before the problem was solved. In the method proposed in this paper the sample is dissolved in a mixture of hydrofluoric and nitric acids, the solution evaporated to a small volume, and boric acid added. Two tannic acid separations are then made to separate the niobium from the bulk of the titanium. The niobium, is determined colorimetrically by the thiocyanate method using a water-acetone medium. A study was made of the possible interference of elements that might be present in titanium alloys. It was found that the presence of tantalum causes two opposing tendencies. Tantalum can cause high results for niobium because it forms a complex with thiocyanate which is visually colorless but shows some absorption. Tantalum can cause low results for niobium by hindering the development of the niobium color. The resultant effect of the tantalum depends upon the amount of tantalum present, the amount of niobium present and the ratio of tantalum to niobium. The presence of more than one per cent. tungsten can lead to high results for niobium. Other elements that might be present in titanium alloys do not interfere with the method. The procedure is designed for titanium alloys containing 0.05 to 10 per cent. niobium. The method is reasonably rapid. Six determinations can be finished in two days. The method should be applicable to many other materials besides titanium alloys.     

Determination of niobium and tantalum in binary alloys and zirconium alloys

Recent developments in the metallurgy of niobium, tantalum and zirconium have necessitated provision of analytical procedures for determining niobium and tantalum in the presence of each other and in the presence of zirconium. For this purpose, absorptioinetric procedures based on the formation of yellow coloured complexes, between pyrogallol and niobium or tantalum, have been critically examined. Direct absorptiometric procedures are described, which are suitable for determining niobium or tantalum in the range 2 to 7%; when either of these metals exceeds 7%, differential absorptiometric procedures are recommended. Corrections must lie made for absorption due to the presence of other metals which form complexes with pyrogallol. In tlie determination of niobium or tantalum up to 5%, the precision of the method is about ±0.05%. About 12 determinations can be made in a day, by one analyst.     

The separation and determination of niobium and tantalum by partition chromatography

A procedure is outlined for the separation and determination of niobium and tantalum by paper chromatography. A mixture of methyl isobutyl ketone and hydrofluoric acid was used as solvent and the metals were detected by means of 8-hydroxyquinoline. The minimum amount of each element detectable is 20 μg.

The procedure was applied successfully to the quantitative determination of small amounts of niobium and tantalum in a steel.     

Determination of copper(II) based on its catalytic effect on thiosemicarbazide-H(2)O(2)-CTMAB chemiluminescence reaction

A novel chemiluminescence (CL) reaction, thiosemicarbazide (TSC)–H₂O₂, for the determination of copper at nanogram per milliliter level in batch type is described. The method is based on the catalytic effect of copper(II) on the oxidation of TSC with hydrogen peroxide to produce light emission. The emitted light was observed by using a conventional fluorescence detector. In the optimum conditions, calibration graph was linear in the range of 0.1–1.3 ppm. The limit of detection was 10 ppb. The relative standard deviation for five determinations of 0.5 ppm copper(II) was 1.93%. The proposed method permitted the selective and sensitive determination of Cu(II) in human hair and wheat flour with sufficient precision. The possible mechanism for the new chemiluminescence reaction was also discussed.     

Fast simultaneous determination of niobium and tantalum by Kalman Filter analysis with flow injection chemiluminescence method.

A fast and highly efficient Kalman Filter analysis-flow injection chemiluminescence (FI-CL) method was developed to simultaneously determine trace amounts of niobium and tantalum in geological samples. The method, without the boring process of separation and dear instruments, is suitable for field scene analysis. The mixed chemiluminescence kinetic curve was analyzed by a Kalman Filter (KF) in this method to realize the simultaneous determination of niobium and tantalum. Possible interference elements in the determination were investigated. Under the selected conditions, the detection limits (3sigma, n = 11) of niobium(V) and tantalum(V) were 2.1 x 10(-3) microg g(-1) and 4.0 x 10(-3) microg g(-1), respectively, and the relative standard deviations were 4.9% and 3.3% (n = 9). The method was applied to the determination of niobium and tantalum in geological samples with satisfactory results.     

电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法测定钛合金中钨、铌、钽

采用电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法（ICP-AES）法测定钛合金中W,Nb,Ta元素的含量。样品采用盐酸、氢氟酸和硝酸溶解,并对仪器工作参数和试验条件进行了优化试验,确定了仪器最佳工作条件,考察了钛合金基体和共存元素对待测元素的影响,确定了各待测元素谱线为W207．911nm,Nb309．418nm,Ta240．063nm。选定的待测元素分析线不受合金基体和共存元素的干扰,通过基体匹配消除基体的影响。加标回收率在98％104％之间,测定结果的相对标准偏差为0．3％～2．4％（n=8）,方法的检出限为0．003-0．013μg／mL。进行了标准物质对照试验,试验结果与标准值相符。     

Separation and determination of tantalum and niobium by precipitation from homogeneous solution

An attempt to separate niobium and tantalum by precipitation from homogeneous solution by thermal decomposition of their peroxy complexes, in the presence of tannin and oxalate, has been only moderately successful. A more satisfactory separation of tantalum and niobium for ratios from 50:1 to 1:30 is obtained by extracting the bisulphate melt with ammonium oxalate before adding hydrogen peroxide, hydrochloric acid and tannin. For a tantalum/niobium ratio of 1:1 the niobium coprecipitation is reduced to 5 %. Furthermore, two alternative possibilities are presented: (1) a quantitative recovery of a tantalum precipitate at small oxalate and high tannin concentration, leaving 90% of the tantalum-free niobium in solution; (2) an 85 % recovery of niobium-free tantalum at high oxalate and small tannin concentration. A study of the coprecipitation process of niobium shows that the distribution coefficients follow a logarithmic pattern, true homogeneous mixed crystals being formed.     

Determination of chloride ion in aqueous samples by isotope-dilution Fourier-transform flame infrared emission (ID-FIRE) spectrometry

An isotope dilution method for the determination of chloride ion in aqueous samples is described. The method makes use of the isotopic shift in the rotational lines of the 1–0 band of HCl emitted in the near infrared region of the spectrum by vibrationally excited HCl molecules present in a hydrogen/entrained air flame. Chloride ion in the sample is converted to chlorine gas by electrolysis and swept into a hydrogen/entrained air flame where it is converted into HCl. Because isotope dilution is an absolute method of analysis, matrix effects are minimized, and the chlorine generation step need not be quantitative. With the system described in this paper, samples must contain at least 9 mg of chloride ion per ml, and a 2-ml sample is required. Over the range from 10 to 30 mg Cl⁻ ml⁻¹, the average error was −0.96%, and the average relative standard deviation was 3.3% for seven samples using seven of the more intense lines in the P branch. Compared with standard silver nitrate titrations, the isotope dilution procedure was not affected by such common interferences as bromide ion and iodide ion. The technique was applied to several seawater samples from different regions.     

Gas chromatographic determination of aromatic amines in water samples after solid-phase extraction and derivatization with iodine II. Enrichment

A procedure for the enrichment of aromatic amines via solid-phase extraction was developed. A HR-P phase based on styrene–divinylbenzene was used for the investigations, generally followed by derivatization with iodine and determination via GC–ECD. The recoveries of 53 aromatic amines in a drinking water matrix at pH 9 were determined. Most anilines showed relative recoveries between 80–120% with relative standard deviations of ≤5% at concentration levels between 10 and 20 μg l⁻¹. The comparison with a wastewater matrix led to similar results. The enrichment procedure was applied to real samples, e.g., samples of ammunition wastewater.