Thermo’s CCD-Based Spectrometer Now Supports Zinc Alloy Applications

Thermo Electron Corporation announces the addition of zinc alloy applications to its second-generation Charge Coupled Device (CCD)-based spectrometer, the ARL Quantris™. Thermo’s state-of-the-art optical emission spectrometer achieves highly accurate and reproducible analyses of all major elements in the zinc matrix in 35 seconds, thus minimizing production costs. This superior analytical performance is equivalent to that of traditional Photo-Multiplier Tube (PMT) spectrometers.

Zinc alloys are used to produce protective coatings for iron, steel, brass and zinc alloy castings as well as sheets for building applications and a range of chemical applications. There are a wide variety of zinc alloys, which can be grouped according to their end use such as galvanizing, hot-dip galvanizing and die-casting alloys. The unique ARL Quantris is the ideal solution to address the analytical needs of the industry, even in the most rugged environments.

The ARL Quantris can be configured with up to three spectrographs to cover wavelengths from 130 to 780 nm, enabling the analysis of all elements of interest including alloying elements such as aluminum, copper and magnesium as well as trace elements such as lead, cadmium, tin, indium and thallium in zinc alloys. The instrument is factory calibrated utilizing CARL (Calibration ARL), a sophisticated multivariable regression tool that corrects for matrix effects as well as spectral interferences. CARL provides an immediate turnkey system with the highest accuracy possible.

Each module of the ARL Quantris is a flat field spectrograph with a single CCD. Furthermore, the ARL Quantris is equipped with Thermo’s patented Current Controlled Source (CCS), the only servo-controlled digital source available on the market with a high degree of flexibility to enable all analytical figures to be optimized for each type of metal.

The ARL Quantris, with its vacuum spectrometer, automatic optical alignment and spectrum profiling, among other features, demonstrates exceptional stability thereby reducing the need for drift correction and allowing more time for production sample analyses. The electronic spectrograph allows scientists to perform qualitative and semi-quantitative analysis using the spectra, all in connection with a wavelength library with more than 140,000 lines. The instrument is exceptionally easy to use, even by unskilled users. Drift corrections and instrument stand maintenance are required only once a week leading to lower operation costs.

For more information about Thermo’s ARL Quantris and the complete range of optical emission spectrometers, please call +1 800-532-4752, request more info or visit the article webpage.