Laser-OES. A universal technique for slag analysis

Laser-OES offers the possibility of analysing slags without time and cost consuming sample preparation steps. With specially developed cartridges (MINKON), about 70% of usable samples were obtained at the converter. The analysis of these test samples did not reveal significant differences in the concentrations compared with routine analysis. In this investigation a Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm) was used in all experiments. The effect of the sample surface (roughness) on the analytical performance was studied quantitatively. The most favourable integration times for the individual analytical channels of the two spectrometers were found to be between 2µs and 8µs. For all elements a combination of elevated laser burst energies (>150 mJ) and a laser beam focus located in the sample material gave the best analytical results. Calibration curves and related precisions were determined and compared with the results from the standard method (XRF spectroscopy)