Direct Determination of Trace Elements in Nickel-Based Superalloys with the NexION 5000 ICP-MS

Nickel-based superalloys are widely used in challenging environments because of their physical properties, which include, but are not limited to, toughness, high heat resistance, high strength-to-weight ratio, and low thermal conductivity. The required properties of state-of-the-art nickel-based superalloys are achieved by introducing multiple alloying additives. And in addition to the elements added to improve performance, the presence of impurity elements negatively impacts the properties of nickel-based superalloys and must be monitored. Therefore, it is critical to accurately determine and control these impurities and additive concentrations in nickel-based superalloys.

This work demonstrates the ability of the NexION^® 5000 Multi-Quadrupole ICP-MS to accurately and directly measure 16 trace elements in nickel-based superalloys. Using the combination of its true-quadrupole Universal Cell, multi-quadrupole technology and other proprietary features, matrix polyatomic interferences were effectively eliminated, ensuring accurate results.