Skip to main content

Chemical Analysis

ICP or inductively coupled plasma is also know as wet chemistry analysis due to the nature of the metal solution that is being analyzed.

Chips of the metal are dissolved or “digested” into an acid to create a metal solution. The solution is then “excited” by a plasma whose characteristic wavelengths are analyzed by the spectrometer and determines the concentrations of the elements in the solution.

ICP metal analysis can be time-consuming (and expensive) depending on the following variables:

  1. Size of Sample (< 1 gram)
  2. Dirt or Contaminant on Sample Requiring Cleaning
  3. High Hardness Material
  4. Base Materials Other Than Steel or Stainless Steel
  5. Additional or Low Level Elements
  6. “Unusual” Elements Requiring Purchase of Standards and Development Time

Once the material has been digested and standards have been diluted to the proper volume; the actual ICP analysis can be performed. The metal solution is analyzed after the spectrometer has undergone the proper standardization. The Leeman Labs ICP equipment has reproducibility to 10 ppm (.0010 %) depending on the element and the concentration. Low-level detection limits of 5 ppm (.0005 %) are common for this equipment.

Contact us today to learn more about our chemical analysis services.

Our laboratory is nationally recognized for meeting RUSH test deadlines on time – every time

Department managers must approve all rush test requests. The RUSH specimens are received by the laboratory staff engineer who will:

  1. Supervises all testing through the lab departments
  2. Review the test results
  3. Sign off on the final test report
  4. Follow up call to confirm that the e-mail has been received

ICP is an acronym for inductively coupled plasma, which is the name of the test machine that can excite any liquid and identify the characteristic elemental wavelengths of the solution. We typically perform metal chemical analysis of the following materials and alloys:

  • Steel
  • Stainless Steel
  • Aluminum
  • Titanium
  • Grey/Cast Iron
  • Copper/Brass/Bronzes
  • Tool Steel
  • Magnesium
  • Tool Steels

SGS MSi is a leader in RUSH ICP metal chemical analysis. Contact us to discuss your chemical analysis projects.