Development of Analytical Method of Silicon in Industrial Products, Etc. Using Continuous Flow Analysis

Nagaoka M, Ishihara Y, Yoshinaga F, Koyanagi A, Nishimura T, Kumagai M, Kumazawa Y and Potter L

Published on: 2021-12-02

Abstract

In recent years, the need for evaluating trace metals has constantly increased as the purity of the components used for various products has improved. Although the silicon contained in steel and other materials above a certain level can be analyzed using the gravimetric silicon quantifying method [1], it requires considerable time and effort, involving repeated processes such as addition of acid, heating, filtration, separation, weighing, redissolution, and high-temperature heating. Although ICP-OES, ICP-MS, and molybdenum blue absorptiometry are some of the methods used for measuring silicon at low concentrations, measurements by ICP-OES and ICP-MS have the problems of silicon elution from the torch tube and molecular ion interference. While molecular ion interference can be prevented by using a reaction cell or a double focusing mass spectrometer, it is difficult to analyze trace levels of silicon in solutions containing hydrofluoric acid as silicon elutes from the torch tube [2]. It is also necessary to dilute the sample and conduct matrix matching or the standard addition calibration curve method when measuring a sample containing a large amount of the main component. Meanwhile, although molybdenum blue absorptiometry is a simple measurement method, various elements can cause interference [3].