International comparability of determination of mass fractions of chromium, copper, iron, manganese and zinc in aluminium alloy: Comité Consultatif pour la Quantité de Matière key comparison K42

Abstract

The degree of equivalence within the participating national metrology institutes for the measurement results of the mass fractions of the analytes Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in an aluminium alloy was assessed. This interlaboratory comite consultatif pour la quantite de matiere key comparison (CCQM-K42) was organised as an activity of the Inorganic Analytical Working Group of CCQM. In total seven laboratories participated, six of them for all analytes. Measurands were the mass fractions of the analytes in a range of 0.05 and 0.2%. As an outcome the consistency of the results for all elements investigated was acceptable, hence satisfactory comparability was established. An aluminium based certified reference material—undisclosed to the analysts which one it was—was used as test sample. For the purpose of this study homogeneity was tested at BAM. Each laboratory was free to choose any analytical method they wanted to use for the analysis. Consequently various methods of measurement were employed: instrumental neutron activation analysis, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) using fused cast-bead method combined with reconstitution technique, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Metrological traceability of the measurement results to the SI unit had to be demonstrated. Therefore, methods such as spark OES or XRF (without fused cast-bead technique)—both of them being most important methods for the analysis of metals and alloys in industrial laboratories—could not be used in the frame of the key comparison.