Glow discharge spectrometric methods for the trace element characterization of graphite and coal fly ash

Conference · Sat Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:43170

King, F L ^[1]; Teng, J; Steiner, R; Pan, C

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1. West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States). Dept. of Chemistry

Glow discharge spectrometric methods permit the direct determination of trace elements and graphite and coal fly ash samples. These methods utilize a low pressure argon plasma for the atomization/excitation/ionization of solid state samples, preclude dissolution of these materials. Optical and mass spectrometric sampling of the plasma provide qualitative and quantitative information about the trace element of the material. Glow discharge atomic absorption spectrometry yields detection limits in sub-ppm range for various transition elements and main group elements in graphite. Analyses of VNEA and H-451 graphites by this method yield results comparable with those reported other methods. Glow discharge mass spectrometric methods presently yield detection limits in the ppm range for the characterization of trace elements in these materials. Development of improved mass spectrometric methods continue for application to this problem. Examinations of coal-derived graphites, produced at WVU, by these glow discharge spectrometries demonstrate that their trace element concentrations are comparable to those of the VNEA and H-451 graphites. Recently developed atomic emission spectrometry methods, employing rf-powered glow discharges, permit characterization of non-conduction samples such as coal fly ashes. This method presently yields detection limits in the tens of parts million range for coal fly ash analyses. The development of rf-glow discharge spectrometry methods is the focus of current research in this laboratory.

• OSTI ID: 43170
• Report Number(s): CONF-940930--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
FLY ASH
GLOW DISCHARGES
GRAPHITE
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MULTI-ELEMENT ANALYSIS
TRACE AMOUNTS