Abstract
There is a need in the metallurgical industries for a simple, sensitive, and accurate method for determining very small amounts of sulfur. A new method suitable for such a purpose is described.
The sample in a calcined silica crucible is oxidized completely in an oxygen atmosphere within a highfrequency furnace. The oxides of sulfur are collected on silver gauze at 550°C. The oxygen is purged from the apparatus with a stream of nitrogen, and then the silver sulfate is heated in a stream of hydrogen to yield hydrogen sulfide, which is collected in an alkaline zinc acetate solution, and is subsequently determined spectrophotometrically by methylene blue method.
The method takes less than 25 minutes for a single determination with the standard deviation of 6.9 ppm on the sample containing 238 ppm of sulfur, and is reliable for the determination of as little as 1 μg of sulfur in metals.
