Application of a wavelength dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometric technique for the analysis of tantalum in titanium-tantalum alloys

Titanium-tantalum alloys show high corrosion resistance and are the materials of choice for some of the structural components in nuclear industry. This paper describes a procedure to determine tantalum present in the range of 0.75–5.0% in a titanium alloy by x-ray fluorescence spectrometry based on a solution technique. The method is fast, reliable and does not involve prior separation of tantalum from titanium. Various samples were analysed and the values obtained were compared with those obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry. The precision of the method is 1.68% R.S.D. This method can be used for routine analysis of samples.