Determination of components in refractories containing zirconia by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract

For the purpose of proposing the use of a series of reference materials (SeRMs) for x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRFS) of refractories containing zirconia, we examined several methods of chemical analysis, and completed two Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) methods of analysis for zircon and/or zirconia (ZS) and alumina, zirconia and silica (AZS) and two SeRMs of Japanese Refractory Reference Materials (JRRM) (10 samples per series). Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry and XRFS were employed for the determination of HfO2. For XRFS analysis especially, a ZrO2 HfO2 binary calibration curve is employed using synthetic standard samples (with Hf Mα as an analysis line). The compositions of both series, 3–92 mass% for ZrO2 and 0.2–46 mass% for SiO2, cover a wide range of values. A high-precision calibration curve could be produced from these SeRMs. The content of HfO2, which has rarely undergone analysis to date, was 1.6 mass% for zirconia and 1.3–1.4 mass% for zircon. These SeRMs are also registered in the Code d'Indexation des Materiaux de Reference (COMAR). Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.