ASTM_E_1085_-_09.pdf

Designation:E108509Standard Test Method forAnalysis of Low-Alloy Steels by X-Ray FluorescenceSpectrometry1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E1085;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This test method covers the wavelength dispersiveX-ray fluorescence analysis of low-alloy steels for the follow-ing elements:ElementConcentration Range,%Calcium0.001 to 0.007Chromium0.04 to 2.5Cobalt0.03 to 0.2Copper0.03 to 0.6Manganese0.04 to 2.5Molybdenum0.005 to 1.5Nickel0.04 to 3.0Niobium0.002 to 0.1Phosphorus0.010 to 0.08Silicon0.06 to 1.5Sulfur0.009 to 0.1Vanadium0.012 to 0.61.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regardedas standard.The values given in parentheses are mathematicalconversions to SI units that are provided for information onlyand are not considered standard.1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of thesafety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is theresponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.Specific precau-tionary statements are given in Section 10.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2E135 Terminology Relating to Analytical Chemistry forMetals,Ores,and Related MaterialsE305 Practice for Establishing and Controlling AtomicEmission Spectrochemical Analytical CurvesE691 Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study toDetermine the Precision of a Test MethodE1361 Guide for Correction of Interelement Effects inX-Ray Spectrometric AnalysisE1621 Guide for X-Ray Emission Spectrometric Analysis3.Terminology3.1 For definitions of terms used in this test method,refer toTerminology E135.4.Summary of Test Method4.1 The test specimen is finished to a clean uniform surfaceand then irradiated with an X-ray beam of high energy.Thesecondary X-rays produced are dispersed by means of crystals,and the intensities are measured by suitable detectors atselected wavelengths.Radiation measurements are made basedon the time required to reach a fixed number of counts,or onthe total counts obtained for a fixed time.Concentrations of theelements are determined by relating the measured radiation ofunknown specimens to analytical curves prepared with suitablereference materials.Either a fixed-channel,polychromatorsystem or a sequential,monochromator system may be used toprovide simultaneous or sequential determinations of elements.5.Significance and Use5.1 This procedure is suitable for manufacturing control andfor verifying that the product meets specifications.This testmethod provides rapid,multielement determinations with suf-ficient accuracy to ensure product quality and minimize pro-duction delays.The analytical performance data may be usedas a benchmark to determine if similar X-ray spectrometersprovide equivalent precision and accuracy,or if the perfor-mance of a particular X-ray spectrometer has changed.5.2 Calcium is sometimes added to steel to effect inclusionshape control in order to enhance certain mechanical propertiesof steel.This test method is useful for determining the residualcalcium in the steel after such treatment.5.2.1 Because calcium occurs primarily in inclusions,theprecision of this test method is a function of the distribution ofthe calcium-bearing inclusions in the steel.The variation ofdeterminations on freshly prepared surfaces will give someindication of the distribution of these inclusions.1This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E01 onAnalytical Chemistry for Metals,Ores,and Related Materials and is the directresponsibility of Subcommittee E01.01 on Iron,Steel,and Ferroalloys.Current edition approved Oct.1,2009.Published December 2009.Originallyapproved in 1987.Last previous edition approved in 2004 as E1085 95(2004).DOI:10.1520/E1085-09.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 6.Interferences6.1 Interelement or matrix effects may exist for some of theelements in 1.1.Mathematical corrections may be used tocompensate for these effects.Various mathematical correctionprocedures are commonly utilized.See Guide E1361 andPractice E1621.Any of these procedures is acceptable that willachieve analytical accuracy equivalent to that provided by thistest method.6.2 Because trace amounts of calcium are being determinedwith this test method,exercise care not to contaminate thespecimen.The presence of calcium in the grinding mediumwill contaminate the specimen