Analysis Basics:

10 elements that need spark OES for precise results

H 15

P
HYDROGEN
8

O
OXYGEN
PHOSPHORUS

Be BERYLLIUM

16

S 3

Li
SULFUR

LITHIUM

B
6
BORON

GUIDE
C 7

N
CARBON
6

NITROGEN

11

Na SODIUM Introduction
1
 Introduction.......................................................................... 01

Main technologies for compositional analysis..................... 02

10 elements that need spark OES for precise results.......... 04

Investing in spark OES for future flexibility........................... 08

Our spark OES solutions...................................................... 10

About Hitachi........................................................................ 15

Introduction
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Introduction
Process control, positive material identification (PMI), quality
control, asset integrity management, material sorting, scrap
recycling, root cause analysis and new material development all
rely on precise elemental analysis to ensure correct specification,
performance and regulatory compliance. Commercially available
handheld, mobile and stationary analyzers are used for this task,
with many products available to suit the needs of various industries
and applications.

Elemental analysis of metals is dominated by three technologies

– LIBS, OES and XRF – and each has its place in ensuring
quality and safety. Given that these technologies offer different
advantages, it may seem hard to choose the right one for you.
Understanding your requirements for the analysis of the different
elements will help you choose the appropriate technique for your
application.

This guide discusses the 10 elements

that need spark OES for precise results,
where they are likely to appear and why
it’s essential to get precise results when
analyzing for them.

Introduction
1
Main technologies for elemental analysis
The three main technologies all work in a similar way – they work on the surface of the material and
interact at an atomic level to detect the elements present.

Each has advantages and disadvantages, which we’ll explore below:

X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) conductive. Like LIBS, OES leaves a visible burn mark on the surface, so is
not suitable for finished products. Finally, OES devices tend to be larger, use
more energy and the technique requires a supply of argon.
XRF technology is for verifying the chemical composition of many types
of samples, including metals, non-metals, powders, liquids, solids,
solutions and pastes. It’s completely non-destructive, and even finished
components can be tested with no cosmetic damage. Handheld and
Essentially, OES detects the presence
benchtop instruments are available and it’s a great technique for pipework, of trace elements that the other
as hot samples can be accurately analyzed.
technologies will miss.
The limitation of XRF spectroscopy is that it’s not as accurate for light
elements, generally thought of as those with an atomic number less
than 11, such as aluminum (Al), silicon (Si) and calcium (Ca) and rare
earth elements, such as cerium (Ce) and erbium (Er). The other potential
disadvantage is that it relies on X-ray technology and there may be a
requirement to license the analyzer which can be a hassle. Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)
The main advantage with LIBS analysis is speed. With a LIBS handheld
Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) analyzer, you can get results within one second – a huge advantage
when analyzing a large volume of parts or sorting through a pile of
scrap. And this is where LIBS is most at home, especially as it excels
The single biggest advantage of OES technology when compared with as measuring most aluminum alloys. It’s not quite as non-destructive as
the other two is its ability to detect the widest range of elements. It has XRF, the measurement does leave a small laser mark on the surface so
extremely high levels of accuracy at ultra-low levels of detection for all the you wouldn’t use LIBS for finished components where appearance is
important elements, including carbon (C), boron (B), phosphorus (P) and important.
nitrogen (N) in steel.
The technique requires a solid surface that’s free of contaminants to take
OES excels at analyzing metals and non-metals, but the bulk material a measurement. The main drawback with today’s LIBS technology is that
must be metallic. This is because OES works by producing an electrical it’s unable to measure some elements at all, such as: oxygen (O), nitrogen
discharge at the surface of the material, so the bulk material must be (N), hydrogen (H), arsenic (As), phosphorus (P), sulfur (S) and boron (B).

Main technologies for elemental analysis

2
Main technologies for elemental analysis
3
10 Elements that need spark
OES for precise results 2. Oxygen
Just like hydrogen, oxygen can be difficult to analyze unless you use 8

combustion analysis. For copper melts, oxygen needs to be reduced as

O
Gasses high oxygen levels affect conductivity, plasticity and corrosion resistance;
this is especially important if the copper is destined for use in electrical 8
OXYGEN

O
applications.

1. Hydrogen For titanium grades, oxygen is usually specified to around 0.2% to increase
strength. OXYGEN
8

Take titanium alloys as an example, you’ll need to control hydrogen levels 1

Within the Hitachi range of spark OES analyzers, the OE750 is able to O
very carefully. Hydrogen interacts with the structure of titanium-based
alloys, causing mechanical degradation and fracturing, especially at H
HYDROGEN
analyze oxygen.
OXYGEN

elevated temperatures. For this reason, hydrogen is given a maximum value 1

H
for titanium grades. For many grades, such as Grade 1, this is at 0.15%, but
for medical titanium, such as Grade 23, the hydrogen level within the alloy
must be below 0.125%.
HYDROGEN

For steels, hydrogen that stays dissolved in solid steel can cause cold
cracking immediately on welding or a short time after especially in C-Mn 1
3. Nitrogen
steels in the heat affected zone (HAZ). This may also extend into the weld.
H It’s extremely important to monitor the nitrogen content in steel; the
presence or absence of nitrogen affects the strength, corrosion resistance
7

You can’t detect hydrogen with XRF or LIBS, so OES is your best choice.
N
HYDROGEN

and workability, so it must be controlled to suit the application.

Some OES instruments don’t have the detection capability for hydrogen,
so you’ll need to check the product specifications carefully. The other NITROGEN

Duplex steel contains nitrogen as one of the crucial alloying elements 7

option is combustion analysis, but this is a more difficult technique, and the

N
responsible for the key properties of superior corrosion resistance and
instruments are more expensive than OES analyzers.
strength. However, incorrect use of duplex steel is problematic, especially
at low temperatures. The ability to precisely determine the nitrogen
composition in steel is essential for melt control and incoming material NITROGEN

verification to avoid material mix-ups. Spark OES is a suitable alternatively

technique to combustion analysis, and the most advanced instruments,
7

like the OE750 again, can meet the ASTM E415 specification that control N
N levels in steel.
NITROGEN

Nitrogen is an alloying element in titanium grades, where its presence

affects weldability. Depending on the specific grade, it’s usually kept within
0.02% and 0.05%.

10 Elements that need spark OES for precise results

4
Metals and non-metals
4. Boron 6. Beryllium 4

As a light element, boron can’t be detected by XRF or LIBS – only OES. 5 Beryllium is an important alloying element in copper where its main function
4 Be
B
In metals detection, its presence in low-alloy and carbon steel must be is to counteract the weakening of copper components that can happen after

Be
BERYLLIUM
carefully controlled. On the one hand, boron is very useful in increasing prolonged exposure to heat. This is why beryllium containing copper is used
hardenability of carbon steel, where as little as 3 ppm can have a huge BORON for electrical connectors in engines, aircraft and washing machines.
impact. For this reason, boron-containing steel is commonly used for safety 5

B
BERYLLIUM
bars, pillars and dash panels in vehicles. The amount of beryllium depends on the grade, and copper grades typically
fall into two camps: those for high strength and those for high conductivity. 4

However, when the level creeps up, boron segregates from the steel and
BORON
Beryllium levels for the high strength classes tend to be just under 2%, Be
settles within the grain boundaries. As little as 5 ppm can lower hardenability, 5
whereas the levels for high conductivity alloys, such as aluminum alloy 174,
B
BERYLLIUM

reduces toughness, causes embrittlement and causes cracks in welds. This BORON can be as little as 0.15%.
is why boron-containing steel must not be used for large structures, and
there are regulations in place to ensure this is the case. Measuring beryllium in copper at these very low levels is a challenge for
LIBS analyzers. However, as beryllium is considered as one of the most
toxic chemicals to humans, knowledge of beryllium content in bars or metal
rods for example is an important health and safety measure. OES analysis
5. Lithium has a fundamental capability to precisely detect beryllium at the right levels,
ensuring the right alloy ends up in the right application and preventing any
Lithium is a problematic impurity for aluminum-based alloys. Firstly, lithium 3 health and safety incidents.
causes problems with casting, affecting porosity. The presence of lithium in Li
molten aluminum can affect oxidation rates and can have an adverse effect LITHIUM

on casted products. 3

Further down the processing line, lithium can cause embrittlement during
hot-rolling. And in the final application, lithium can cause problems with
Li
weldability, leading to an unstable arc and, even at a level of below 5ppm, LITHIUM

aluminum foil can discolor in humid conditions.

3

Li
LITHIUM

In manufacturing, incoming and outgoing inspection is needed especially

for the 8090 series and in metals recycling, Li-Al needs to be separated as
anything with more than 5ppm lithium content can cause issues in casting
recycled raw materials.

As lithium is a light element, it’s out of reach for XRF analysis. LIBS can
detect the presence of lithium but struggles at low concentrations. Mid to
high end OES analyzers can detect lithium down to 1ppm.

10 Elements that need spark OES for precise results

5
7. Carbon
Carbon is an impurity within aluminum, where it forms carbides which 6

C
decompose when exposed to water, leading to surface pitting. However,
the most widespread need to detect carbon is within steel – both carbon
steels and CrNi steels. 6
CARBON

Steel is labeled according to carbon content; L or low carbon steel for

corrosion resistance and high carbon (H) for improved strength. The
difference between L and H grades is quite small; L-grade requires carbon
C
CARBON OES is excellent at detecting carbon
at 0.03% or less, H grade between 0.04% and 0.1%.
and all the alloying elements that are
6

C
used for the CE calculation.
CARBON

In the first instance, an analyzer that can reliably detect carbon at these
levels is essential. But, analysis of carbon isn’t quite straightforward because
of the concept of ‘carbon equivalent’ or CE. Here, the precise composition
of other alloying elements is used within a formula to calculate the ‘carbon
equivalent’ value. This value is used to predict the behavior of the material
at high temperature processing.

XRF can’t detect carbon. OES is excellent at detecting carbon and all the
alloying elements that are used for the CE calculation. LIBS is more of a
grey area. You can measure carbon with LIBS, but the technique lacks the
precision of OES. And for CE calculations, LIBS can’t measure some of the
critical elements at all, such as boron.

8. Sodium
Sodium is classed as an impurity in aluminum alloys. It’s important to keep 11

sodium levels low in aluminum melting and casting as it can lead to melt
loss. Acceptable levels of sodium within aluminum alloys fall into the low
Na SODIUM

ppm range; only a few ppm of sodium can lead to cracking during the hot 11

Na
rolling process and if sodium is present in welding wire to over 10ppm, the
welding arc becomes unstable.

As a light element, sodium falls into the group that are too light to be SODIUM

detected by XRF, and LIBS struggles here too. Spark OES is again the best
11

option, with some OES instruments achieving a limit of detection (LOD) of Na SODIUM

1ppm or below.

10 Elements that need spark OES for precise results

6
 9. Phosphorous
Within steel, phosphorous can be detrimental or beneficial, depending on 15

the application and forming process. For example, it’s added to improve P
machinability and corrosion resistance and the addition of less than 0.2% can PHOSPHORUS

increase tensile strength of low carbon sheet steel. But phosphorous also 15
causes embrittlement, which leads to a reduction in ductility. Some steels,
such as high-strength low-alloy, are particularly prone to embrittlement and
these must have phosphorous limited to 0.02%.
P
PHOSPHORUS
15
For aluminum die casting, phosphorous poisons strontium and sodium
modifiers, making them much less effective in the casting process. This can P
PHOSPHORUS

lead to a sub-optimal melt structure and poor performance characteristics

in casted products.

As a relatively light element, XRF struggles to measure P at levels present in

aluminum alloys and carbon steel. LIBS analyzers can’t detect phosphorous
at all. Spark OES has no problem detecting phosphorous in steel alloys in
the low ppm range.

10. Sulfur
Whether sulfur is seen as an impurity or a desired element in steel depends 16
on the usage. In low alloy steels subjected to welding, sulfur is classed as
an impurity and must be kept to below 0.05%. At levels above this, the
steel can become brittle and weld integrity can suffer. However, for cutting
S
SULFUR

steel, sulfur is intentionally added between 0.10% and 0.30% to improve 16

S
the machinability.

Sulfur has relatively low atomic mass, so while XRF can detect it, it struggles
at the ultra-low detection limits required for steel. LIBS can’t measure sulfur SULFUR
16
at all. Once again, spark OES is the only technology that can reliably analyze
metals for sulfur content at the precision required. S
SULFUR

10 Elements that need spark OES for precise results

7
Investing in spark OES for future
flexibility
In addition to the elements discussed in above, spark OES is the only technology
that excels at detecting the presence of other, rarer, elements. Here’s a brief
introduction to seven elements that you might see used in metal alloys more and
more.

Titanium
Titanium is an extremely durable, light weight metal that’s more
22
robust than standard low-carbon steel, but has only 55% of the

Ti
TITANIUM
weight. It’s already used extensively in medical devices, thanks to
its high biocompatibility, but expect to see it more commonly used
in vehicles and aircraft in response to the need to reduce weight to
improve efficiency.

Vanadium
You may already be checking for vanadium if you are using the
23
carbon equivalence calculations, as vanadium is one of the

V
VANADIUM
modifying elements. It’s also used as a stabilizer in titanium alloys
and is mixed with aluminum and titanium to create an ultra-strong
alloy for use in jet engines. Vanadium steels are extremely tough
and vanadium alloys are used to make nuclear reactors.

Molybdenum
This silvery white, hard metal has many uses; it’s added to cobalt
42
alloys for strength and titanium alloys as a stabilizer. It’s one of the

MoMOLYBDENUM
four alloying elements within duplex steel and is used for carbon
equivalent calculations. Chromium - molybdenum alloy steel has
excellent corrosion resistance and tensile strength, leading to use
Spark OES is the only technology that
excels at detecting the presence of
in construction and automotive applications. other, rarer, elements.

Investing in spark OES for future flexibility

8
 Niobium
Niobium is naturally very resistant to corrosion due to the layer of
41
protective oxide that forms on its surface. It improves the strength

Nb NIOBIUM
of stainless-steel alloys and is used within jet engines, rockets
and pipelines. It also has superconducting properties, which sees
increasing use in particle accelerators and MRI scanners.

Tantalum
Analyzing all the rarer elements mentioned
Like niobium, tantalum is naturally very resistant to corrosion,
73
in this section can be done with an OES
Ta
thanks to a robust oxide that readily forms on the surface. It’s this
highly insulating oxide that has lead to tantalum’s widespread use analyzer. As material specifications and
in electronic devices, especially mobile phones. Tantalum also
Tantalum
produces very strong alloys that are used within supersonic aircraft. applications change, you’ll want to make
sure that the analyzer you choose has a
wide wavelength range, so it covers all the
Hafnium
elements you need to analyze today but also
72
This high-melting point metal has several uses in high temperature in the future.
applications. Its ability to withstand corrosion and ability to absorb

Hf Hafnium
neutrons makes it commonplace in nuclear reactors. Hafnium’s
use in ‘superalloys’ helps high temperature performance, and
hafnium is used for turbine blades of jet engines.

Tungsten
With the highest melting point of any metal, tungsten has
74 historically been used in lightbulbs. Today, tungsten alloys are

W Tungsten
used for high temperature applications, including arc-welding and
furnaces. Many cutting tools are made from tungsten carbide due
to its extreme hardness, and new applications, such as dental
drills, are being developed.

Investing in spark OES for future flexibility

9
 Our spark OES solutions
Hitachi’s range of spark OES instruments, which are designed
and manufactured in Germany, deliver precise metals composition
analysis so you can reliably analyze elements, even the rarer ones,
to get your job done. We offer stationary, mobile and portable
OES analyzers which can be used for most aspects of the
production process – primary producers, foundries, die casters
and manufacturing – where chemical composition of metal alloys is
needed.

Our spark OES solutions

10
Stationary OES

OE SERIES
The ground-breaking OE series, which includes the OE750
and OE720, covers all elements for complete metals
analysis. With one of the highest optical resolutions in its
class, these spark spectrometers identify exceptionally low
levels of tramp, trace and treatment elements in metals.

FOUNDRY-MASTER SMART
The FOUNDRY-MASTER Smart brings high performance on a
limited budget, making it a cost-effective solution for companies
that have previously used third parties to analyze their samples.
This analyzer is suited to smaller foundries and metal processing
companies that don’t need low detection limits as part of their
process control, QA/QC and material verification.

FM EXPERT
This analyzer delivers all the capability of the FM SMART, but has
the added benefit of nitrogen analysis. If you need to precisely
monitor nitrogen levels as part of your quality control, QA/QC and
metal production processes, the FM EXPERT offers a very good
price to performance ratio.

Our spark OES solutions

11
MOBILE OES

PMI-MASTER Pro2
This analyzer gives you the ultimate mobile metals
analysis that’s invaluable for preventing grade mix-ups of
incoming materials and outgoing product. Easy on-site
operation for remote locations is possible thanks to the
PMI-MASTER Pro2’s powerful battery, delivering 750
measurements for 8 hours of operation.

PMI-MASTER Smart
The PMI-MASTER Smart is the most portable high
performance delivering analysis of key elements, rapid
material verification, PMI and metal sorting. Like
having a portable laboratory, the PMI-MASTER Smart
delivers complete metals analysis for steels, aluminum,
nickel and copper.

Our spark OES solutions

12
Build your quality control X-MET8000 range
toolbox with Hitachi This handheld XRF analyzer offers quick, non-
destructive analysis and accurate chemistry and grade
identification. It’s great for testing most commercial
Quite often we find that the right solutions for our customers alloys including aluminum alloys, silicon and bronzes.
mean investing in complementary technologies. We provide a By combining a high-performance X-ray tube with a
metals analysis toolbox that includes XRF and LIBS technology to large area silicon drift detector (SDD), it can handle
supplement your OES analysis testing equipment – giving you the full even the most demanding analysis applications in
range of analysis tools. seconds – reducing testing costs and time.

VULCAN+ range
With no X-rays, the Vulcan+ allows you to identify a
wide range of alloys including stainless steels, low
alloy steels, nickel and aluminum alloys (and more) in
one second. With a long battery life and weighing just
1.5kg, this ergonomic laser analyzer is comfortable to
use even over long periods.

Our spark OES solutions

13
Improve testing efficiency
with Hitachi GRADE
Database

The GRADE Database is the largest metals database available and

comes preinstalled on all Hitachi High-Tech Spark OES analyzers.
It contains more than 12 million records for almost 360,000 metal
grades. In just a few steps you can find and compare metal
equivalents, decipher metal specifications and ensure the correct
grade for a given application. And, as we keep the database
constantly updated, you’ll be able to easily keep pace with the
ever-increasing updates to international standards, such as AISI/
ASTM, DIN, EN, BS, JIS and GOST.

Our spark OES solutions

14
Advanced data management
with ExTOPE Connect
ExTOPE Connect is an advanced data management and storage service
that allows you to store your results safely, share data instantly and access
the data in real time from any computer. So, you can achieve greater effi-
ciency whether in the field, at production site or on the manufacturing floor.
Access data from your phone or computer and ensure records are stored
securely for future reference or external audits.

Our spark OES solutions

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About Hitachi High-Tech Improving today.
We specialize in high-tech analysis solutions, custom-designed
to meet the challenges of a rapidly evolving industrial sector.
Building for a connected
We’re using our decades of experience in materials testing to tomorrow.
help create the industry of tomorrow, harnessing the power
of connectivity and data to drive product quality and reduce
waste.

Simplifying complex processes and enabling rapid decision

making to ensure we’re all ready to meet the needs of
tomorrow’s society.

Through essential materials analysis that adds value

throughout the production lifecycle, we’re today helping
thousands of businesses reduce their risk and become leaner,
greener, safer and more profitable.

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