X-Ray Analysis of Carbon in 316 Austenitic Stainless Steel : Results of a German-French Round Robin Test

Abstract

Four specimens of 316 austenitic stainless steel with carbon contents between 300 to 3000 ppm have been analysed by eight laboratories : three in Germany and five in France. The results show that a carbon concentration of 0.2 wt% can be determined with a precision of better than ±10 % relative and that the experimental limit of detection for carbon in such a steel is about 300 ppm

Ferrous analysis

“…X-ray spectrometric methods have been described for the determination of C in steel with a microprobe (168,340), in austenitic stainless steels with up to 0.3% C (332), but with poor precision, and in cast iron (412). In the last reference, Compton scattering of X-rays emitted with a Cr target X-ray tube produced sufficient intensities for the determination of carbon.…”