A rapid determination of brass composition and plating weight on brass-plated steel wire and cord by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

A rapid and simple means for determination of the brass composition and plating weight on brass-plated steel wire and cord is described. The sample preparation procedure is very simple; wires can be mounted as such, and cords can be mounted either as such or as unstranded single wires. The copper content of the brass and the plating weight are determined by measuring the intensities of the different elements by sequential X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF). There is good agreement between the results obtained by XRF and those obtained by differential pulse polarography or spectrophotometry/ complexometry; the precision is even better.