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Choosing a Platinum Crucible
One of the most valuable tools of the analytical chemist is the platinum crucible. Platinum crucibles are commonly used for XRF sample preparation, wet chemistry, ash testing, and Loss on Ignition (LOI) applications.
Platinum crucibles are made with just enough strength required for use in the chemical laboratory. Typically, platinum crucibles and their covers weigh about as many grams as they hold in cubic centimeters. Hence, a platinum crucible with a volume of 25 cubic centimeters weighs 25 grams, including the cover.
Making Platinum Crucibles
This production guideline determines and restricts the thickness of the platinum crucible’s bottom and side wall. The crucibles are crafted from platinum sheets cut into discs or blanks that are rotat...
What is ICP Spectroscopy?
ICP (Inductively Coupled Plasma) Spectroscopy is an analytical method used to detect and measure elements to analyze chemical samples. The process is based on the ionization of a sample by an extremely hot plasma, usually made from argon gas.
In an ICP spectroscopy unit, argon gas streaming through a torch apparatus is charged with an electromagnetic coil and lit with a Tesla unit that produces a quick discharge arc through the argon flow to trigger the ionization sequence. As soon as the plasma is “lit,” the ICP spectroscopy unit is switched off the Tesla device.
The electrons accelerated by the torch collide with argon atoms, and occasionally a collision leads to an argon atom shedding one of its electrons. Released electrons are then accelerated by the elect...
Outlining XRF Applications
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy is a non-destructive analytical technique that studies the fluorescent x-rays that are emitted from a material. It is often used for chemical or elemental analysis to discover the composition of a material. This blog post will outline some of the applications that benefit from XRF spectroscopy.
Metals and Alloys
When using metals and their alloys, their chemical composition must be known to ensure they will have the properties required for the application. XRF spectroscopy is used within the metal industry to provide a high level of quality control and consistency between batches. The sample preparation techniques that are used for XRF are also beneficial for metals and alloys as they require a high level of accuracy....
