Ultra-High Purity Nickel Crucible for Analytical Sample Melting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional nickel crucibles with 99wt% purity are inadequate for analyzing high purity materials due to impurity contamination, leading to increased lower limits of determination and the need for repeated analyses.

Innovation Solution

A nickel crucible with a purity of 99.9999wt% or higher is used, combined with specific fluxes such as alkali or acid fluxes, to inhibit impurity mixing and enable high precision analysis.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If conventional nickel crucible with 99wt% purity is used, then manufacturing cost is low and ease of manufacture is good, but measurement precision deteriorates due to impurity contamination

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement precisionVSAvoidease of manufacture

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the purity parameter of the nickel crucible from conventional 99wt% to 99.9999wt% or higher, thereby reducing impurity content to levels that do not interfere with high purity material analysis. This parameter change directly resolves the measurement precision issue while maintaining the same crucible material and manufacturing process type.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If flux with strong oxidizing power is used, then ability to melt persistent samples is improved, but crucible durability deteriorates causing impurity elution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to melt persistent samplesVSAvoidcrucible durability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the purity parameter of the nickel crucible to 99.9999wt% or higher, which provides sufficient resistance to strong oxidizing fluxes. The ultra-high purity material maintains structural integrity and does not elute impurities even when exposed to aggressive fluxes required for melting persistent samples, thus resolving the reliability issue.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses ultra-high purity nickel as a refined composite material with controlled impurity levels, creating a crucible that combines the necessary chemical resistance to strong oxidizing fluxes with sufficient mechanical durability. The material composition is optimized to withstand aggressive melting conditions without contaminating the sample.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Measurement precision

If conventional nickel crucible with 99wt% purity is used, then manufacturing cost is low, but lower limit of determination increases due to impurity mixture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelower limit of determinationVSAvoidimpurity content

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the purity parameter from 99wt% to 99.9999wt% or higher, reducing impurity content by four to five orders of magnitude. This dramatic reduction in impurity quantity enables determination limits to reach ppb levels, resolving the measurement precision issue for high purity material analysis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach allows for accurate and fast measurement of high purity materials by significantly reducing impurity contamination, lowering the lower limits of determination, and reducing labor and reagent usage.

Implementation Method 1

wherein the purity of the nickel crucible is 99.9999 wt % or higher... there is a problem in that the crucible itself will wear easily, and, consequently, there is a problem in that impurities will be eluted in the crucible

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMaterial purity resistance:

Implementation Method 2

The process of melting the sample with a flux is usually based on a melting method such as carbonate (alkali) fusion, alkali hydroxide fusion, sodium peroxide fusion, or sodium hydrogensulfate fusion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal melting: Melting

Data Source

PatentUS7892843B2Nickel crucible for melting analytical sample, method of preparing analytical sample and method of analysis

Publication Date: 2011.02.22 JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORP

AI summary

A nickel crucible used for melting an analytical sample in the pretreatment of the analytical sample, characterized in that the purity of the nickel crucible is 99.9999 wt % or higher. Also provided is a method of analysis, comprising melting a sample by the use of the nickel crucible for melting having a purity of 99.9999 wt % or higher, and analyzing the melt to thereby obtain an analytical result in which the respective lower limits of determination of Mn, Al, Si, Mg, Pb, Fe, Co, Ti, Cu, Cr, Zr, Mo, and W are Mn: 5 wtppm, Al: 10 wtppm, Si: 10 wtppm, Mg: 5 wtppm, Pb: 5 wtppm, Fe: 5 wtppm, Co: 5 wtppm, Ti: 20 wtppm, Cu: 20 wtppm, Cr: 10 wtppm, Zr: 5 wtppm, Mo: 2 wtppm, and W: 10 wtppm. In light of the recent analytical technology demanded of fast and accurate measurement of high purity materials, high purity analysis is attained through inhibition of mixing of impurities from the crucible.