Multi-element analysis of aluminium-based ceramic powders by instrumental and radiochemical neutron activation analysis

Instrumental and radiochemical neutron activation analysis have been applied to a comprehensive trace characterization of aluminium oxide and aluminium nitride powders using conventional irradiation conditions as well as a special facility providing an extremely low ratio of fast to thermal neutrons enabling to reduce essentially the production of 24Na via the reaction 27Al(n, α). Irradiation modes and experimental parameters are given for the determination of 56 elements leading to limits of detection below 100 ng g-1 for 39 elements. For the analysis of sample materials of good and high purity using usual neutron flux profiles, the selective removal of 24Na was achieved by its adsorption on a hydrated antimony pentoxide (HAP) column from 12 M HCl. For a number of elements, the results obtained on materials of different purity grades are compared with those obtained by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry within an interlaboratory intercomparison