Standardization for Quantitative Analyses of Organic/Inorganic Components in Fine Ceramics and Polymers

Abstract

Fine ceramics are well recognized materials as a versatile core raw material in high-value industries such as electronic, automotive, biotechnology, medical, aerospace and nano industries.

In developing advanced fine ceramic materials, such as barium titanate and aluminum nitride, numerous efforts have been made to secure high-quality and free of impurities. Consequently, several method have been studied, to identify/determine the purity in such materials and thermal and electrical characteristics of component materials. So far, these studies have failed to identify suitable quantitative analytical methods for trace elements and/or central components in barium titanate or aluminum nitride.

Such an absence of standardized test methods diminishes the reliability and credibility of the materials as well as the functionality and performance of the all products composed of or influenced by the materials. Hence, this study established a quantitative analysis method for main and trace elements in aluminum nitride and barium titanate which are non-oxide fine ceramics and structure ceramics.

In order to verify the data repeatability and reproducibility, pre-treatment of the sample was employed by using acid decomposition, alkali fusion decomposition and microwave decomposition. Also, the recovery ratio was quantified through gravimetric analysis and Spectroscopic analysis of each component. The spectroscopic method after acid-decomposition was identified as the best in the quantitative analysis of aluminum, owing to the best recovery ratio and standard deviation. The thermal conductivity method proven to be the best in the quantitative analysis of nitrogen. This method also exhibits the best recovery ratio and standard deviation for nitrogen. The gravimetric method after acid-decomposition was the best in the quantitative analysis of barium and titanium, with the best recovery ratio and standard deviation of both components.

Vinyl chloride monomer(VCM), which is the raw material for PVC, has been known for its high bio-carcinogenicity in human. There are several testing methods for the quantitative determination of residual VCM in the polymer resins including ISO, ASTM, EPA, KS, and other governmental guidelines. However, it is difficult to measure residual VCM because of its high vapor pressure. No suitable commercial reference material for VCM is another problem. To establish and develop more reliable quantitative analysis for residual VCM. We have tested several VCM test methods regulated by various countries and/or organizations and systematically compared in order to determine the optimal conditions. As a result, trace VCM test method was identified as the best quantitative analytical method, in which were applied head-space method in GC-MS and N,N'-dimethylacetamide by solvent.