波长色散X射线荧光光谱法测定铀铌钛合金中铌和钛含量

    Determination of Nb and Ti Content in U-Nb-Ti Alloy by Wavelength Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry

    • 摘要: 铀铌钛(U-Nb-Ti)合金因其优异的耐腐蚀性和力学性能,在核能领域具有重要应用价值。然而,合金中铌(Nb)和钛(Ti)含量的精确控制是保障材料性能的关键,现有分析方法普遍存在流程繁琐、干扰因素多、周期长等问题。本研究提出一种基于波长色散X射线荧光光谱法(Wavelength Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence,WDXRF)的快速测定方法。本方法用硝酸和氢氟酸溶解样品,制成滤纸薄膜试样,采用波长色散X射线荧光光谱仪测定铀铌钛合金试样的铌和钛含量。实验结果表明:本方法适用于铌质量分数为1.0%~7.0%、钛质量分数为0.2%~0.9%的U-Nb-Ti合金样品的铌和钛含量的测定。其工作曲线线性相关系数(r2)优于0.99,对6个平行样品的精密度测试显示,铌和钛的相对标准偏差(sr)分别不超过1%和2%。本方法具有制样简便、分析快速、试样稳定性高等优势,为核材料研发与生产质量管控提供了可靠技术手段。

       

      Abstract: Uranium-niobium-titanium alloy has important application value in the nuclear energy field due to its excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical properties. Accurate and efficient determination of niobium(Nb) and titanium(Ti) content in uranium-niobium-titanium(U-Nb-Ti) alloys is critical for ensuring the performance of nuclear materials. Conventional analytical methods, such as gravimetry, spectrophotometry, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy(ICP-AES), are hindered by complex procedures, prolonged analysis time, and matrix interferences. This study introduces a novel methodology based on wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry(WDXRF) for simultaneous quantification of Nb(w=1.0%-7.0%) and Ti(w=0.2%-0.9%) in U-Nb-Ti alloys, addressing the limitations of traditional techniques while enhancing analytical efficiency and reliability. The alloy samples were dissolved in a mixture of nitric acid(HNO3) and hydrofluoric acid(HF) under controlled heating. To prevent hydrolysis of Nb and Ti during solution stabilization, saturated citric acid was added prior to volumetric dilution, ensuring homogeneity and long-term stability of the solution. The resulting solution was immobilized on polyester filter paper to form uniform thin-film specimens, effectively minimizing matrix effects. Calibration standards were prepared using certified reference solutions of U, Nb, and Ti, with critical instrumental parameters—including crystal selection, detector configuration, and operating conditions optimized to establish a robust linear relationship between elemental mass ratios(Nb/U, Ti/U) and their characteristic X-ray intensity ratios(Nb Kα/U Lβ2, Ti Kα/U Lβ2). Calibration curves exhibit excellent linearity, with correlation coefficients(r2) exceeding 0.99. Method validation confirms that the measured values agree well with those obtained by ICP-AES and chemically prepared standards, demonstrating excellent consistency. Precision tests on six parallel samples yield relative standard deviations(sr) of ≤1% for Nb and ≤2% for Ti, confirming superior method reproducibility. Long-term stability assessments over 30 days revealed sr below 2%, underscoring the effectiveness of citric acid in stabilizing Nb/Ti solutions and maintaining the integrity of thin-film specimens. The integration of citric acid not only suppresses hydrolysis but also enhances measurement consistency, particularly for low-concentration Ti(w=0.2%-0.9%). This WDXRF-based method achieves high instrumental efficiency, with a measurement time of only 50 seconds per sample, eliminating time-consuming separation steps and offering a practical solution for industrial quality control of U-based alloys. The thin-film preparation technique combined with citric acid stabilization effectively mitigates matrix interference and hydrolysis-related challenges. Future research should focus on extending this approach to major element analysis in other alloy systems or complex matrices, leveraging its adaptability to advance nuclear material characterization technologies.

       

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