Accurate Analysis of Ferrosilicon by the Fusion Method
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Rigaku Corporation has announced the publication of a new application report describing accurate ferrosilicon analysis by wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF).
Application Note XRF5026 demonstrates ferrosilicon analysis using the Rigaku ZSX Primus III+ WDXRF spectrometer, which is optimized for process control of steel making and ferrosilicon production. The report covers sample preparation, method calibration and repeatability.
Iron alloys with 15% to 90% silicon content, known as "ferrosilicon," are used to reduce metals from their oxides and to deoxidize steel and other ferrous alloys, preventing the loss of carbon from the molten steel.
Analyses of ferrosilicon, as well as slag and raw materials, are required to control the steel making process.
X-ray fluorescence is the most common method for analyzing ferroalloy, slag, steel and added materials due to its rapid analysis capabilities and its ability to measure both bulk metal and powders.
The metallic elements in ferrosilicon would be converted to oxides using conventional bead fusion methods, so a special fusion technique was developed for this application.
Measurements were performed using the ZSX Primus III+ spectrometer with a 3 kW Rh target X-ray tube.
The analyzer features tube-above optics, where the X-ray tube is located above the sample, reducing the risk of instrument contamination or damage.
The ZSX Primus III+ spectrometer is ideal for iron and steel making process control, including for cast iron and alloy steels, where both bulk metal and powder samples are analyzed as part of the process control protocol.
The system software is based on Rigaku’s flowbar interface that leads the user through a series of procedures step by step and provides various statistical process control functions ideally suited to the steel industry.
The software has a new fusion bead correction function that can accommodate differences in weight ratio among sample, flux and oxidation reagent, loss and gain on ignition and inter-element effects.
The results confirm that ferrosilicon with wide ranges of composition can be accurately analyzed by the fusion method using the newly developed fusion bead correction function, and that highly accurate analysis of the elements in ferrosilicon can be rapidly performed using the ZSX Primus III+ spectrometer.
It is also possible to analyze other ferroalloys, steels and powders, such as slag, with excellent precision.
