2017 Volume 103 Issue 9 Pages 524-527
Helium is a noble gas that has some important properties, such as low boiling point, low density, high thermal conductivity, and inertness. Thanks to its unique properties, helium is widely used in various areas of science and technology. But its price has risen steadily every year since its supply shortage has arisen in 2012. In the steel industry, helium is used as a carrier gas for thermal conductivity method which can analyze nitrogen in steel accurately and quickly. Therefore it is necessary to develop a nitrogen analysis method in steel without using helium as preparation for its shortage. We have developed new analytical method which enables highly precise and rapid quantitative analysis of nitrogen contained in steel by using argon instead of helium. The developed method is based on discharge molecular emission spectrometry, and its quantitation limit of nitrogen in steel was 8 mass ppm.
