Determination of boron in Zr–Nb alloys by glow discharge quadrupole mass spectrometry

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials Vol. 340; no. 2-3; pp. 284 - 290
• Main Authors: Shekhar, Raparthi, Arunachalam, J., Radha Krishna, G., Ravindra, H.R., Gopalan, B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.04.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Controled nuclear fusion plants; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; Fuels; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Nuclear fuels; P0500; I0100; Z0100; A0700; Glow discharge; Niobium alloy; Zirconium alloy; Steel; Standards; Quadrupole spectrometer; Nuclear reactor; Boron; Emission spectrometry; Zircaloy; Detection limit; Reactor material; Mass spectrometry
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2004.12.010

Direct determination of boron in Zr–2.5%Nb, Zr–1%Nb alloys and zirconium metals which are extensively used as structural materials in nuclear reactors has been carried out by glow discharge quadrupole mass spectrometer (GD-QMS). Relative sensitive factor (RSF) values for boron were determined using different solid standard reference materials (Zircaloy and steel). A comparison of the GD-QMS results obtained using these RSF values, with DC–Arc-AES (direct current arc atomic emission spectrometry)/certified values showed reasonably good agreement in all the Zr-based materials analysed for boron in the range of 0.1–7mgkg−1. Quantitation of boron in Zr matrix is possible even with a steel standard when certified for Zr and B. Internal precision (intra-sample precision) was found to be typically ±4% RSD (relative standard deviation) and the inter-sample precision was ±10% RSD for boron at ∼0.1mgkg−1 levels. The overall accuracy of the procedure was found to be ±8% at ∼0.5mgkg−1 levels of boron using Zircaloy and steel standards. Under optimised experimental conditions the detection limit for boron was found to be ±13μgkg−1.