Determination of Oxygen in Yttrium and Yttrium Fluoride by the Inert Gas Fusion Method

A Critical Study of Carbon-Reduction Techniques for the Determination of Oxygen in Thorium and Yttrium Metals.

“…A close examination of the data in Table IV reveals that there are systematic, though small, differences among the data. Considering first the carrier-gas fusion results, the platinum-tin bath data are consistently higher than the values obtained under the environmental conditions recommended by Banks et al (2). Moreover, the oxygen recoveries on the synthetic standards obtained by the platinum-tin bath environment are in accord with the calculated values, whereas the platinum flux results are consistently low.…”

“…Moreover, the oxygen recoveries on the synthetic standards obtained by the platinum-tin bath environment are in accord with the calculated values, whereas the platinum flux results are consistently low. These data suggest that the absolute accuracy of the analytical results obtained by the platinum flux procedure given by Banks et al (2) should also be viewed with reservations, unless quantitative recovery is demonstrated with the particular apparatus employed. In addition to the ability of the platinum-tin bath to achieve quantitative extraction at lower temperatures, another benefit of the platinum-tin environment is shown by the graphical plot of the data in Figure 2A.…”

“…The main requirements of the method were that it have a relative standard deviation no greater than 0.5% and produce results within 4 hours of receipt of sample. X-ray absorption edge methods, which provide the required speed and precision, have been applied to the determination of numerous elements, including plutonium (2), that have x-ray absorption edges in the 0.5-to 2-A. wavelength region.…”

“…The carrier-gas-fusion operating conditions for the platinum flux procedure were similar to those described by Banks et al (2). Under these conditions, maximal extraction of oxygen from yttrium was not achieved.…”

“…Using previously published information and our own experiences on the determination of oxygen in similar metals as a guide, we selected the following reaction media for intensive study: the iron-bath procedure of Sloman and Harvey (24) (for thorium only); variations of the platinum-bath procedure (9,15)', the platinum-flux procedure of Banks et al (2) (for yttrium only); and variations of the platinum-tin-bath procedure (18,20).…”