Elemental analysis of powders by glow discharge mass spectrometry Original Research Article

Glow discharge mass spectrometry (GDMS) which has been developed for bulk samples was applied to powder samples. Powders pressed on an indium sheet are used as samples. Ion beam intensities of elements in powders were measured by the conventional procedures for disk-shaped samples. The discharge condition which is common for bulk samples was employed. The surface contamination was removed by preliminary sputtering for 60 min. Grain sizes of powders and densities of powders pressed on an indium sheet do not affect ratios of ion beam intensities of analyzed elements to that of the matrix element. The relative sensitivity factors of 21 and 14 elements (isotopes) have been determined for Fe-based powders and Cr powders, respectively. The obtained relative sensitivity factors for powders correspond with those for disk-shaped samples and therefore, relative sensitivity factors for bulk samples are applicable to powders. The relative error of analytical results obtained by GDMS to the chemically analyzed results was about 25% in an average for trace elements of the concentration less than 10 mg kg−1 and smaller for elements of the higher concentrations.