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FLAME SPECTROSCOPY OF THE RARE EARTH ELEMENTS

Journal Article · · Dissertation Abstr.
OSTI ID:4753818
It was found that by using a fuel-rich oxygen-acetylene flame of a Beckman integral aspirator-burner and absolute ethanol as the solvent all of the rare earths except cerium emit moderate to strong atomic lines. The exact wavelengths of over 1200 of these lines were measured and their relative intensities estimated. Using these lines, analytical methods were developed for the determination of Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Lu, and Sc in complex mixtures of rare earths. The detection limits and possible interferences were assessed for the strong lines of each element. The data indicate that only lanthanum, cerium, and perhaps gadolinium cannot be determined by this method. The degree of enhancement of the atomic lines in the fuel-rich oxygen-acetylene flame varies with each element, ranging from a factor or 3.4 for europium up to greater than 6000 for neodymium. The greatest enhancements were observed for those elements which form the most stable monoxides. Effective electronic temperature measurements using atomic iron lines indicate that the oxygen-acetylene flame which produces maximum rare earth line emission is operating at a temperature of 3050 deg K. Electronic equilibrium appeared to be established in this flame. The maximum temperature attained with the oxygen-acetylene flame was 3185 deg K. The flame produced line emission significantly lower in intensity than the more fuel- rich flame. An effective electronic temperature of 2900 deg K was found for the oxygen-hydrogen flame.
Research Organization:
Iowa State Univ. of Science and Tech., Ames
NSA Number:
NSA-16-032975
OSTI ID:
4753818
Journal Information:
Dissertation Abstr., Journal Name: Dissertation Abstr. Vol. Vol: 23
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English