Determination of iron, copper and aluminium by gas-liquid chromatography.

Gas chromatography has been utilised in the analysis of two National Bureau of Standard alloys for quantitative determination of aluminium, iron and copper. In the analysis of N.B.S. 162a the relative mean errors were 3.13% for aluminium, 2.06% for iron and -1.72% for copper and for N.B.S. 164a the relative mean errors were -1.39%, -0.19% and -0.89% for aluminium, iron and copper, respectively. The procedure for analysis involves solution of the alloy, conversion of the metal ions to trifluoroacetylacetonates by solvent extraction and, finally, complete separation of the metal chelates and quantitative determination by gas chromatography using a column containing Gas Pack F coated with Tissuemat E, a polyethylene wax. Other metals present in the N.B.S. samples did not interfere with the determination of aluminium, iron and copper.