Antimony percentage in lead

[Rchaf]

After smelting and during production, I need to find the percentage of antimony in our lead. All I'm looking for is the antimony, no other elements. What is the easiest, and most inexpensive method to determine this other than a wet bench test.

 

[Maui]

Within what range, and to what level of accuracy? A test method that fits your criteria cannot be recommended unless we have some idea of the levels of antimony that you are trying to measure, and to what accuracy.

Maui

http://www.EngineeringMetallurgy.com

 

[Rchaf]

We would like to read it down to about .1% +/-.05%

 

[moltenmetal]

ICP AA is pretty cheap, though it is a wet chemical analysis. XRF would be cheaper still and very fast, if it gave you the analysis accuracy you were looking for, but I have no idea whether or not it is a candidate.

 

[metengr]

For this type of application and accuracy, I would stick with wet chemistry, as mentioned above by an outside chem/met laboratory. The analysis can be done today for under $75 USD per sample.

 

[EdStainless]

As I recall there are issues with Xray because of self shielding effects.
I have seen this done with ICP-OES, but that isn't cheep.
I also recall that the sample prep for AA is a pain because you have to force the Sb all into one oxidation state.
Perhaps AA with a sputtering source (Ar ions) would do the trick. It is hard to beet the sensitivity of AA.

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