Measurement of titanium and molybdenum in special steels and alloys using wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry

Abstract

An X-ray fluorescence spectrometric multivariable regression procedure is described for the determination of titanium and molybdenum in special steels and alloys in the concentration range from 9.41% down to 120 μg/g using Ti Kα_1,2 and Mo Kα_1,2 analyte lines. In general, better results have been achieved in first order base curve polynomials using LiF (200) crystal in combination with scintillation counter (SC) or krypton proportional counter (KPC). However, LiF (220)+SC combination also yields favorable results for Mo. The measured concentrations of Ti and Mo for BAS alloy steel standards agree very well with their certified values. The automated XRFS method for the determination of Ti and Mo appears to be free from matrix effects and is suitable for their measurement in special steels and alloys down to 120 μg/g concentration of Ti with a precision of 3.2% and an accuracy of ±2.5% and for Mo down to 350 μg/g with a precision of <1% and an accuracy of ±1.1%. The sensitivities for these lowest concentrations are calculated to be 5960 counts/mass %/s and 8000 counts/mass %/s for Ti and Mo, respectively.