For any industry that is in one way or another connected with metals - from purchasing to a metallurgical plant, the composition of raw materials is important. Metals and alloys must meet certain parameters both in order to produce a high-quality product and in order to be able to objectively assess the cost of the material being purchased. One of these parameters is chemical analysis of the composition, which can be done without resorting to complex reagents and lengthy processes.

One method to determine the exact composition of a metal is spectral analysis. It is based on the interaction of matter with a spectrum of radiation, including electromagnetic and acoustic. The atoms of each chemical element have their own resonant frequencies at which they emit or absorb light. The number and intensity of the lines that the spectrometer shows depends on the quantity and state of the substance. Depending on the purposes, different methods of spectral analysis are carried out.

Spectral analysis of gold

X-ray fluorescence (elemental) analysis is used to determine the composition of the metal. The spectrometer exposes the material to X-ray radiation, causing electrons in the substance to move to high energy levels. Excess energy in the form of a photon with a strictly defined value for each substance reaches the detector of the device. The photon is converted into a voltage pulse, readings are taken by the device and transmitted to the screen in the form of a graph or digital indicators.

The analysis method itself was discovered at the beginning of the 20th century, and the X-ray fluorescence device was created only in 1948. Now spectrometers have become widespread - they are used not only in metallurgy, jewelry and the chemical industry, but also in the oil industry, archeology, and with their help they determine the presence of heavy metals in soil and water, and in food products. They are used by ecologists and geologists; even interplanetary spacecraft that take rock samples are equipped with spectrometers. The prevalence of this method is associated with the speed of obtaining results and the high accuracy of indicators.

Application of spectral analysis

During recycling, spectral analysis helps to accurately sort ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, as well as to determine rejection; in foundries, with the help of it, finished products undergo incoming and certification control; in industry, it is used to confirm the quality of materials entering production. For analysis, either specially cast samples are taken, similar in composition to the base metal, or the metal itself is analyzed. In a few minutes you can get an analysis of steel and cast iron, copper, aluminum, lead and tin alloys, titanium alloys, alloys, and the content of precious metals.

Depending on the purpose and volume, there are stationary laboratory, mobile and portable spectrometers. The latter are most popular in metal purchasing companies, as they have a small size, weight, convenient “pistol” shape, high productivity - about 1000 tests per day, and accuracy of readings. They are easy to use, work in air and argon environments, have a metal label, and the number of identifiable elements depends on the characteristics and profile of the organization - there are devices with an unlimited number.

Portable analyzers allow you to determine the amount of impurities in scrap jewelry when buying gold; the purchase of automobile catalysts, electronic scrap, non-ferrous and ferrous metals and their further processing is also accompanied by spectral analysis.

Spectral analysis in Moscow

Our company provides instant assessment of gold products accepted for purchase. In less than a minute, the equipment we use determines the exact content of gold and other metals. This allows for a quick and objective assessment in the presence of the client.

When working with metals, well-founded reasons often arise. doubts: does the metal of the parts correspond to what is specified in the design documentation. In any production, as a rule, a limited range of steels and alloys is used, but the acute problem remains stamp confusion even with well-established input control. This includes dishonesty of the supplier, when in one batch there are rods of different brands, which cannot be determined during incoming inspection, confusion when issuing blanks to production and lack of production worker discipline who, in order to hide their marriage, take any material that comes their way. In some cases, doubts arise even when the assembly is assembled and the brand can be confirmed using known methods ( spectral, chemical, X-ray fluorescence) is simply impossible.

In addition, increasingly defective products arises due to the mix-up of metals during its purchase (supplier dishonesty) and when lack of entrance control metals As a result, the quality of workpieces and the quality of parts suffers. In some cases, doubts arise when the assembly has already been assembled, and it is not possible to confirm (identify) the metal grade of any critical part in it using known methods (spectral or chemical). The device also allows you to analyze even very small parts. To do this, it is necessary to place them on a conductive substrate. It is possible to determine the sample size of gold items.

We can give many examples when parts were subjected to heat treatment according to the specified the hardness of which was impossible to obtain due to the fact that instead of steel, for example, 40Х13, some of them were made of 12Х8Н10Т. How to sort out several thousand nuts, some of which were accidentally made from 40X, and not from 30KhGSA, as required by the design documentation? Or how can you find out on a fully finished printed circuit board the brand of solder used, or what kind of solder the pins of the microcircuits are tinned with? How to confirm the brand of welding electrode wire?

The TAMIS thermoelectric analyzer easily copes with these tasks.

Methods for analysis and determination (detection) of metals and alloys

To control grades of metals and alloys, standard methods are used:

• chemical analysis of metals

  This method allows you to analyze the chemical compound metal with high precision. At the moment, this is the only analysis method that allows one to reliably determine the percentage of carbon in steels.

  To conduct a chemical analysis of steel for carbon, shavings of the metal being tested are burned in a hydrogen environment and the composition of the resulting gas is analyzed using the photocollometric method. For measurement accuracy, three parallel samples are carried out. To determine other elements, the weight method is used.

  The composition of metals is determined by the gravimetric method by transferring it into solution (chemical dissolution in acid solutions, water). Then the compound of the required metal is precipitated by adding salt or alkali. Next, the sediment is calcined to a constant weight, and the metal content is determined by weighing on an analytical balance and recalculation. The method gives the most accurate values ​​of the metal composition, but is time-consuming.

  With the electrochemical method, after transferring the sample into an aqueous solution, the metal content is determined by various electrochemical methods - polarographic, coulometric and others, as well as a combination with titration.

  These methods allow chemical analysis of metals in a wide range of concentrations with satisfactory accuracy, but are highly labor-intensive and require a laboratory and qualified personnel.

• metal spectral analysis

  The group of spectral methods for determining metal content is quite diverse. It includes, in particular, various methods for determining the content of metals by analyzing the characteristic spectra of electromagnetic radiation of atoms - atomic emission analysis, atomic absorption analysis, spectrophotometry, mass spectrometry, X-ray spectral analysis.

  The most widely used method in industry. With modern equipment, the process of studying the composition of a metal takes just a few minutes. When analyzing a metal using this method, determining the quantitative content carbon in steels is inaccurate.

  Spectral analysis requires qualified specialists and expensive equipment - a spectrometer (about 4 million rubles). When analyzing metal, traces of temperature effects remain on the surface, which leads to a violation of the geometry of the metal part being examined.

• X-ray fluorescence analysis of metals

  Refers to non-destructive methods. Allows you to determine almost the entire elemental composition of metals, with the exception of the exact carbon content in steels. The determination process takes no more than 1 minute.

  XRF analysis requires a fairly large surface area. Measuring small parts is not possible. Expensive equipment (more than 1.5 million rubles) and well-trained specialists are required.

Thermoelectric analyzer of metals and alloys TAMIS

Rich experience in analysis of the reasons for marriage in various industries, analysis of the failure of products of varying complexity and purpose led to the need creating inexpensive, an easy-to-use analyzer of metals and alloys (including non-ferrous ones) in production conditions.

Seebeck effect

The operation of the device is based on the Seebeck effect, when when a compound of two dissimilar metals is heated, a thermopower appears, the magnitude of which depends on the chemical composition of the metals being studied. Thermopower can be easily measured reliably and is widely used in industry in thermocouples for measuring temperatures in various technological processes. Read about the effect.

Advantages of thermoelectric analyzer of metals and alloys

When developing the metal analyzer, the main attention was paid to:

• reliability
• reliability of the results obtained
• ease of use

The fact that the device can be used by schoolchildren, storekeepers, workers, and craftsmen was taken into account.

• Wide range of application of the device:
  • at production sites of metalworking industries (QC, material storerooms, during incoming inspection, etc.)
  • at assembly areas to control metals in assembled assemblies, determine types of coating of radio element leads, grades of solders
  • in thermal areas
  • in jewelry workshops
  • in workshops of higher educational institutions and school workshops
  • in research laboratories
  • in the Central Factory Laboratories
  • in laboratories for incoming metal inspection
  • in investigative departments for operational control of seized products made of precious metals
  • when conducting laboratory work on metal science in educational institutions
• Ease of use
• Compactness
• Does not require qualified personnel
• Measurement efficiency

Method for determining metals using the TAMIS analyzer

The analyzer is capable of distinguishing more than 40 different grades of steel and non-ferrous metals. To obtain reliable analysis results, it is necessary to strictly follow the analysis procedure described.

A metal analyzer allows you to quickly and accurately check the composition of an alloy or its type. This is important in many industrial sectors. Most often, secondary raw materials are analyzed in this way. This is due to the fact that it is impossible for even an experienced specialist to perform such a procedure at random. The device in question is also called a spectrometer.

Purpose

Using a metal analyzer, you can reliably determine the composition of the copper alloy and the percentage of foreign inclusions in it. In addition, it is possible to determine the nickel content of stainless steel. In this case, the raw material under study does not need to be sawed or its structure disturbed in any other way. The device will be useful for those who work with ferrous or ferrous scrap. It also helps to identify the presence of heavy metals in the alloy, which ensures safe operation and compliance with the required standards.

Kinds

The analyzer of metals and alloys is a complex high-tech device, the creation of which at home is very problematic. There are two types of these devices:

• Laser modifications, operating on the principle of optical emission.
• X-ray option, determining readings using x-rays.

Stationary analogues are aimed at large warehouses and bases for receiving and processing scrap metal. For example, the M-5000 model is a compact modification that can fit on a table. The device is used primarily in secondary metallurgy production. Reviews from experts confirm that such a device optimally combines quality and price indicators.

Optical emission models

The optical emission metal analyzer is used in the study of various structures, workpieces, parts and ingots. The spark or air arc analysis method is used. In the first case, some evaporation of the metal alloy is noted.

The working medium of the devices under consideration is argon. To change the operating mode of the device, it is enough to replace the nozzle on a special sensor. The chemical composition of the alloy is recognized and recorded using an optical spectrometer.

There are several research modes, namely:

• Determination of metal grade using a special table.
• Comparison of the reference spectrum with an analogue of the alloy under study.
• A “yes-no” function that determines the specified characteristics of the raw material.

This device works with ferrite, aluminum, titanium, copper, cobalt, tool alloys, as well as low alloy and stainless steel.

X-ray fluorescence options

This type of metal analyzer consists of light-sensitive elements that can detect more than 40 substances. Reviews from experts note the fast operation of these devices, as well as the monitoring without compromising the integrity of the analyzed object.

Due to their compactness and low weight, the devices in question are easy to use and equipped with a housing protected from moisture. The software makes it possible to set user standards, enter the required parameters and connect a printer with subsequent printing of the received information.

A feature of such analyzers is that they cannot detect elements with atomic numbers below 11. Therefore, they are not suitable for detecting carbon in cast iron or steel.

Peculiarities

The optical emission type metal composition analyzer has the following capabilities:

• The device is able to detect even minor inclusions of foreign mixtures, which is important when testing ferrous metals for the presence of phosphorus, sulfur and carbon.
• High measurement accuracy makes it possible to use the device for certification analysis.
• The unit is offered with a pre-loaded program, which makes it difficult to check the alloy for the introduction of unknown inclusions that are not included in the software list.
• Before starting the inspection, the object must be processed with a file or a grinding wheel to remove the top layer of dirt or dust.

Features of X-ray metal spectral analyzers:

• These devices are not as accurate, but are quite suitable for working with scrap and sorting alloys.
• The device is versatile. Allows you to detect all elements available for its range.
• The surface of the object under study does not need to be carefully treated; it is enough to remove rust or paint.

Portable metal analyzer

The devices under consideration are divided into three types:

1. Stationary option.
2. Mobile models.
3. Portable versions.

Stationary models are located in special rooms, occupy a large area, produce ultra-precise results, and have wide functionality.

Mobile analogues are portable or mobile devices. They are most often used in factories and quality control laboratories.

The portable metal and alloy analyzer is the most compact and can be held in one hand. The unit is protected from mechanical influences and can be used in field conditions. This device is suitable for people looking for raw materials using a metal detector.

Advantages

Portable models operate in the same way as their stationary counterparts. The average weight of the device is from 1.5 to 2 kilograms. Judging by user reviews, in certain areas such a device becomes the best option. The device is equipped with a liquid crystal screen, which displays information about the composition of the object under study.

The unit is capable of accumulating and storing information, including research results and photographs. The analyzer accuracy is about 0.1%, which is sufficient for use in the recycling industry.

Using a portable model, you can analyze large and complex structures, pipes, ingots, small parts, as well as workpieces, electrodes or shavings.

Manufacturers

Among the most famous companies producing metal chemical composition analyzers are the following companies:

• Olympus Corporation. This Japanese corporation specializes in the production of photographic equipment and optics. Analyzers from this company are popular due to their high quality. Consumer reviews only confirm this fact.
• Focused Photonics Inc. The Chinese manufacturer is one of the world leaders in the production of various devices for monitoring various environmental parameters. The company's analyzers are distinguished not only by their high quality, but also by their affordable price.
• Bruker. The German company was created over 50 years ago. It has representative offices in almost one hundred countries. Devices from this manufacturer are distinguished by their high quality and the possibility of a wide selection of models.
• LIS-01. The device is of domestic production. It was released by a scientific division whose office is located in Yekaterinburg. The main purpose of the device is sorting scrap, diagnosing alloys during incoming and outgoing inspection. The device is an order of magnitude cheaper than its foreign analogues.

In their reviews, users speak positively about the MIX5 FPI model. It is powerful and has the ability to accurately detect heavy metals. The device is easy to use: just press one button and wait for the test results. In high-speed mode this will take no more than 2-3 seconds.

In conclusion

As practice and consumer reviews show, metal and alloy analyzers are quite in demand not only in the industrial sector, but also in small companies and among individuals. Finding a suitable option on the modern market is quite simple. You just need to consider the range of use of the device and its capabilities. The cost of such devices varies from several thousand rubles to 20-25 thousand dollars. The price depends on the type of device, its functionality and manufacturer.

Analysis of metals and alloys

Analysis of metals and alloys solves the problem of determining the elemental composition of metals and their alloys using analytical methods. The main purpose is to check the alloy grade or type and compositional analysis of various alloys (quantitative analysis).

• wave dispersive analysis,
• emission analysis,
• X-ray fluorescence analysis,
• assay analysis.

X-ray fluorescence analysis

Portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for analysis of metals and alloys

Spectrum displaying alloy Al, Fe, Ti

XRF analysis is carried out by exposing the metal to X-rays and analyzing the fluorescence using modern electronics to achieve good measurement accuracy.

Advantages of the method:

• Non-destructive analysis.
• It is possible to measure many elements with high accuracy.

Alloy identification is achieved by identifying the unique combination of several elements within specified compositional ranges. Accurate quantitative analysis is achieved by using appropriate corrections to the inter-element influence matrix.

The analyzed material is exposed to X-ray fluorescence within a few seconds. Atoms of elements in a material become excited and emit photons with energies specific to each element. The sensor separates and accumulates photoelectrons received from the sample into energy regions and, based on the total intensity in each region, determines the concentration of the element. The energy region corresponding to the elements , , , MS , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , can be analyzed effectively.

The RF analyzer consists of a central processor, an X-ray tube, a detector, and an electronic memory that stores calibration data. In addition, the memory is also used to store and process alloy grade data and other coefficients related to various special operating modes.

As is correct, control over the study is carried out through a computer program based on a hand-held portable computer (PDA), which provides the user with an image of the spectrum and the obtained element content values.

After the analysis, the values ​​are compared with a database of steel grades and the closest grade is searched.

Emission method

Emission method: One of the main sources of random error in measurements of relative impurity concentrations in emission spectral analysis is the instability of the parameters of the spectrum excitation source. Therefore, to ensure the emission of impurity atoms from the sample and their subsequent optical excitation, a low-voltage spark, the so-called C, R, L - discharge is used. In this case, two parameters are stabilized on which the processes of emission and optical excitation depend - voltage and energy in the discharge circuit. This ensures low standard deviation (RMS) of measurement results. A special feature of the emission method is the quantitative determination of light elements in iron-based alloys (analysis of sulfur, phosphorus and carbon in steel). There are several types of devices for emission analysis based on the spark and air-arc methods or their combination.

Assay method

Assay method: Assay melting is based on the physical and chemical laws of metal reduction, slag formation and wetting with molten substances. The main stages of assay analysis using the example of an alloy of silver and lead:

• Sample preparation
• Mixing
• Crucible melting for lead alloy
• Pouring lead alloy into iron molds for cooling
• Separation of lead alloy (werkbley) from slag
• Werkbley cupellation (lead removal)
• Removing a bead of precious metals and weighing it
• Quartering (adding silver, if necessary)
• Treating the bead with dilute nitric acid (dissolving silver)
• Gravimetric (weight) determination of silver

see also

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Chemical composition of the substance– the most important characteristic of materials used by mankind. Without its exact knowledge, it is impossible to plan technological processes in industrial production with any satisfactory accuracy. Recently, the requirements for determining the chemical composition of a substance have become even more stringent: many areas of industrial and scientific activity require materials of a certain “purity” - these are requirements for an accurate, fixed composition, as well as strict restrictions on the presence of impurities of foreign substances. In connection with these trends, increasingly progressive methods for determining the chemical composition of substances are being developed. These include the method of spectral analysis, which provides an accurate and fast study of the chemistry of materials.

Fantasy of light

Nature of Spectral Analysis

(spectroscopy) studies the chemical composition of substances based on their abilities to emit and absorb light. It is known that each chemical element emits and absorbs a light spectrum characteristic only of it, provided that it can be reduced to a gaseous state.

In accordance with this, it is possible to determine the presence of these substances in a particular material based on their unique spectrum. Modern methods of spectral analysis make it possible to determine the presence of a substance weighing up to billionths of a gram in a sample - the radiation intensity indicator is responsible for this. The uniqueness of the spectrum emitted by an atom characterizes its deep relationship with the physical structure.

Visible light is radiation from 3,8 *10 -7 before 7,6*10 -7 m, responsible for various colors. Substances can emit light only in an excited state (this state is characterized by an increased level of internal energy) in the presence of a constant source of energy.

Receiving excess energy, the atoms of the substance emit it in the form of light and return to their normal energy state. It is this light emitted by atoms that is used for spectral analysis. The most common types of radiation include: thermal radiation, electroluminescence, cathodoluminescence, chemiluminescence.

Spectral analysis. Flame coloring with metal ions

Types of spectral analysis

There are emission and absorption spectroscopy. The emission spectroscopy method is based on the properties of elements to emit light. To excite the atoms of a substance, high-temperature heating equal to several hundred or even thousands of degrees is used - for this, a sample of the substance is placed in a flame or in the field of powerful electrical discharges. Under the influence of high temperatures, the molecules of a substance are divided into atoms.

Atoms, receiving excess energy, emit it in the form of light quanta of various wavelengths, which are recorded by spectral devices - devices that visually depict the resulting light spectrum. Spectral devices also serve as a separating element of the spectroscopy system, because the light flux is summed up from all substances present in the sample, and its tasks include dividing the total array of light into the spectra of individual elements and determining their intensity, which will allow in the future to draw conclusions about the amount of the element present in the total mass of substances.

• Depending on the methods of observing and recording spectra, spectral instruments are distinguished: spectrographs and spectroscopes. The former record the spectrum on photographic film, and the latter make it possible to view the spectrum for direct observation by a person through special spotting scopes. To determine dimensions, specialized microscopes are used that allow the wavelength to be determined with high accuracy.
• Once the light spectrum is recorded, it is subjected to careful analysis. Waves of a certain length and their position in the spectrum are identified. Next, a correlation is made between their position and their belonging to the desired substances. This is done by comparing wave position data with information located in methodological tables indicating typical wavelengths and spectra of chemical elements.
• Absorption spectroscopy is carried out similarly to emission spectroscopy. In this case, the substance is placed between the light source and the spectral apparatus. Passing through the analyzed material, the emitted light reaches the spectral apparatus with “dips” (absorption lines) along certain wavelengths - they constitute the absorbed spectrum of the material under study. The further sequence of the study is similar for the above emission spectroscopy process.

Opening Spectral Analysis

The importance of spectroscopy for science

Spectral analysis has allowed mankind to discover several elements that could not be determined by traditional methods of recording chemical substances. These are elements such as rubidium, cesium, helium (it was discovered using spectroscopy of the Sun - long before its discovery on Earth), indium, gallium and others. The lines of these elements were detected in the emission spectra of gases, and at the time of their study were unidentifiable.

It became clear that these were new, hitherto unknown elements. Spectroscopy had a serious influence on the formation of the current type of metallurgical and mechanical engineering industries, the nuclear industry, and agriculture, where it became one of the main tools for systematic analysis.

Spectroscopy has acquired enormous importance in astrophysics.

Provoking a colossal leap in the understanding of the structure of the Universe and the affirmation of the fact that everything that exists consists of the same elements, which, among other things, abound on the Earth. Today, the spectral analysis method allows scientists to determine the chemical composition of stars, nebulae, planets and galaxies located billions of kilometers from Earth - these objects, naturally, are not accessible to direct analysis methods due to their great distance.

Using the absorption spectroscopy method, it is possible to study distant space objects that do not have their own radiation. This knowledge allows us to establish the most important characteristics of space objects: pressure, temperature, structural features and much more.