XRFS Analysis of Aluminum Alloys with Sample Preparation by Fusion

Nine elements, i.e., Mg, Si, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb in aluminum alloys of different denominations or of different conditions of heat treatment (i.e., either casting or forging) were determined by XRFS. 0.2000 g of the alloy was dissolved in 5 mL of 200 g·L-1 NaOH solution in a PTFE beaker and acidified with 10 mL of conc. HNO3. The solution was mixed with 4.000 g of a flux containing lithium tetraborate, lithium metaborate and lithium fluoride (mixed in the ratio of 4.5 to 1 to 0.4 by mass) in a Pt-Au-crucible. The mixture was evaporated to dryness and finally fused on a Meker Burner to form a glassy melt of 2.5 mm in thickness, which was used for XRFS analysis. Four standard samples of aluminum alloy were analyzed by the proposed method, giving results in consistency with the standard values. Precision was tested with a standard sample for 10 separate determinations, values of RSD′s found for the 9 elements were ranged from 0.62% to 2.7%.