Chemical analysis of impurities in zirconia and aluminium nitride ceramics by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry
Abstract
Inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) has been used for the determination of the most significant impurities (Al, Ca, Fe, Mg, P, Si and Ti) in zirconia and aluminium nitride ceramics according to the following procedure: (i) development of two decomposition methods for each material; (ii) study of spectral interferences, matrix and interelemental effects; and (iii) determination of the detection limits. Good precision and accuracy were attained. The procedures developed in this work can be applied to zirconia partially stabilised by the addition of CaO, MgO or Y2O3, tetragonal zirconia polycrystals with the addition of Y2O3, pure aluminium nitride or aluminium nitride with additions of alkaline earth oxides, Y2O3 or CeO2.