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The International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90) is based on thermodynamic equilibrium states of ideally pure substances. The largest contribution to the uncertainty budgets of most metallic fixed points is the influence of impurities on the fixed-point temperature. Therefore, a traceable chemical analysis of the remaining impurities with small uncertainty is the basis of further progress. Further requirements are better knowledge of the phase diagrams at very low impurity contents, impurity segregation, and the quantification and correction of thermal effects during a fixed-point realization. In this article, current and future activities at PTB and BAM in order to develop improved metallic fixed-point cells of the ITS-90 are reviewed.
Inspired by the globule arc technique a new electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ETV-ICP OES) method was developed for the analysis of high-purity copper materials. The performance of the method was investigated for the analytes Ag, Al, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sb, Se, Si, Sn, Te, Ti, Zn and Zr. ETV parameters were optimized regarding the release of the analytes, the transport efficiency and the quality of analytical results in terms of precision, trueness and power of detection. The influence of CCl2F2, CHClF2, C2H2F4 and CHF3 as gaseous halogenation modifiers was investigated. A sufficient in situ analyte matrix separation was achieved by using CHF3 as halogenating reagent avoiding a high matrix input from the molten copper sample into the ETV system and the plasma. A complete release from the samples was obtained for all investigated analytes except Se and Te. Acceptable results for the determination of the trace elements Ag, Al, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, P, Pb, S, Sb, Si, Sn, Ti, Zn and Zr in high-purity copper were achieved. The method includes a preceding sample preparation step of oxidizing the surface of copper samples which results in a significantly enhanced sensitivity. In addition to the calibration with copper samples, the feasibility of the calibration with liquid multi-element solutions was investigated. Except for Ag, Mg and Ni all analytes could be analyzed using aqueous calibration solutions. The trueness of the method was tested by the determination of analyte contents of certified reference materials. Limits of quantification ranging from 0.6 ng g-1 to 29 ng g-1 were achieved. The developed direct solid sampling method is time and cost effective and well suited for the characterization of high-purity copper materials. The method can be automated to a large extent and is applicable for processes accompanying analyses. In contrast to all other investigated trace elements, Se and Te were not released from the matrix at measurable levels under the used conditions. The determination of these elements is still under investigation and will be reported in a succeeding publication.
Determining the influence of impurities on the fixed-point emperatures
of the ITS-90 requires the completion of several tasks. In this paper, the Progress made at Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and BAMFederal Institute for Materials Research and Testing is presented and remaining questions are discussed.
The projected characterization procedure at PTB, which is based on the established SIE method (sum of the individual estimates), using a new indium fixed-point cell is described as an example. This procedure includes an SI-traceable chemical Analysis of the material in the fixed-point cell with sufficiently low uncertainties, the individual experimental determination of the influence of the quantified impurities on the fixed-point temperature, and the establishment of direct links to the phase-transition temperatures of the national standard and of an assumed material of ideal purity.
A characteristic difference to the common practice is the chemical analysis of the fixed-point metal being done after determining the cells freezing temperature. This allows for the detection and consideration of contamination and purification effects due to the filling process, or due to the contact with the carbon crucible and other parts of the fixed-point cell. A chemical analysis of an indium fixed-point was carried out by BAM with relative measurement uncertainties below 30 % which have not been previously achieved. The results provide evidence for the precipitation of some impurities,
which is apparently inconsistent with the corresponding binary phase diagrams, but was explained in a recent publication. Implications for the use of the SIE method shall be described briefly at the end.