X-ray Fluorescence Analysis of Iron, Cobalt, Nickel and Copper in Alnico Alloys by an Aqueous Solution Method

Abstract

A simple, rapid and accurate method is proposed for the determination of iron, cobalt, nickel and copper in alnico alloys.
Samples are dissolved in nitric and hydrofluoric acid, and diluted with saturated boric acid solution to mask the excess of hydrofluoric acid. The X-ray intensities of FeK_α, CoK_α, NiK_α and CuK_α were measured with an identical sample, and substituted into I_i in simultaneous equation (I_i=Σα_ijC_j). The concentrations of these element in the sample can be obtained by solving the equation by use of a computer. Application of this method resulted in the success of the rapid analysis of the sample within 15 minutes.
The reproducibility were 0.85, 0.36, 0.32 and 1.3% for iron, cobalt, nickel and copper, respectively.