The Determination of Oxygen in Metals with High Melting Points by the Inert Gas Fusion Method: A Silicon Fusion Technique

Abstract The determination of oxygen in metals with high melting points is important for the development of metallurgy. This paper will describe a very simplified apparatus and a procedure which gives precise results almost without a blank test. A silicon fusion technique developed by the present authors is used instead of the platinum bath method for the purpose of decomposing oxides in metals. It enables us to determine oxygen in a small quantity of a sample by the use of a highly-sensitive gas chromatograph. The amount of oxygen in the purified tantalum and niobium was determined within a standard deviation of 0.0038%. The precision established in tests of titanium samples containing 0.074% of oxygen was 0.0018%; this observed value is in good agreement with that obtained by the vacuum fusion method.