Effect of CsCl-graphite buffer on the properties of a d.c. arc in the emission-spectrometric analysis of neodymium oxide

Abstract

The effects of CsCl-graphite buffer on the properties of a d.c. arc in the emission-spectrometric determination of traces of rare earth elements in neodymium oxide were investigated by measuring the line intensity, arc temperature, electron density, atomic concentration and residence time of rare earth particles in the arc plasma. The buffer gives a constant rate of evaporation of rare earth elements, as well as greater volatility of the sample and causes the increase of the number of atoms in the arc plasma. The atoms and ions of rare earths distribute uniformly along the axis of the discharge gap. This enhancing effects are interpreted by the decrease of the ionization degree of rare earths with increasing electron density, and by the increase of the residence time of the atoms and ions of rare earths in the arc plasma. The buffer enhances the sensitivity and reproducibility and permits the determination of microquantities of rare earth elements with limits of detection from 2 to 9 ppm in neodymium oxide. The coefficients of variation are less than 14%.