Elemental analysis of steel scrap metals and minerals by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part B: Atomic spectroscopy Vol. 60; no. 7; pp. 920 - 925
• Main Authors: Vieitez, Maria Ofelia, Hedberg, Jonas, Launila, Olli, Berg, Lars-Erik
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 31.08.2005
• Subjects: Air; Chromium; Copper; emission; Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy; liquid steel; Nickel; spectrometry; Steel; Chromium; Nickel; Air; Steel; Copper; Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
• ISSN: 0584-8547; 1873-3565; 1873-3565
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sab.2005.05.024

The atomic emission of laser-induced plasma on steel samples has been studied for quantitative elemental analysis. The plasma has been created with 8 ns wide pulses using the second-harmonic from a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, in air at atmospheric pressure. The plasma emission is detected with temporal resolution, using an Echelle spectrometer of wide spectral range (300–900 nm) combined with an intensified charge coupled device camera. A plasma temperature of 7800 ± 400 K is determined using the Boltzmann plot method, from spectra obtained under optimized experimental conditions. As an example of an industrial application the concentration of copper in scrap metals is studied, which is an important factor to determine the quality of the samples to recycle. Cu concentrations down to 200 ppm can be detected. Another application of the laser-induced plasma spectroscopy method is the measurement of the nickel and copper concentrations in an iron-containing sample of reduced magma from the 1870s expedition to western Greenland by Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld. Different spectral lines of nickel are used for calibration, and their results are compared.