Erbium Determination in Wrought Aluminum Alloys via Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry

Abstract Erbium-containing advanced aluminum alloys, such as 5E61, 5E83 and 7E75, have received widespread attention aluminum industrial chains due to their better comprehensive performance, including strength, plasticity, heat resistance and corrosion resistance. Then a rapid quantitative requirement for erbium content with a weight fraction of 0.08% to 0.30% has been proposed. Unfortunately, there is a lack of relevant analysis method both domestically and internationally. In order to solve the trouble, a method for determination of erbium in aluminum alloy was studied and established based on plasma optical emission spectrometry. The optimized conditions were as below: radio frequency power of 1.2 kW, atomized gas flow of 0.80 L•min −1 , plasma gas flow of 12.5 L•min −1 . The axial observation mode and 369.625 nm analysis line were selected. Sample of 0.10 g was accurately weighed to dissolve with high-purity water of 5.0 mL, hydrochloric acid of 5.0 mL and nitric acid of 1.0 mL. Then diluted to 100 mL. The calibration curve was established by the matrix matching with high-purity aluminum, which was a linear equation with a correlation coefficient of 0.9999. The limit of quantification was 0.0014%. The optimized method was applied to determine the actual samples, with the relative standard deviations were no more than 2.4%, and the recovery rates of erbium were from 96% to 101%. The determination results of the simulated sample were consistent with the theoretical value. The work provided a rapid quantitative method for microalloying erbium determination in aluminum alloys, that would be beneficial for the research and application of erbium-containing advanced aluminum alloys.