O – Oxygen

A broad spectrum of methods enables us, to perform oxygen analyses on almost any matrix. For organic substances the pyrolysis is used. The oxygen compounds that are released by the thermochemical process are converted to carbon monoxide and then oxidized. The detection of oxygen is done conductometrically in the form of carbon dioxide.

Inorganic, organometallic and fluorine-, phosphorus- and silicon-containing substances can also be analyzed by pyrolysis. A special high-temperature furnace and the adding of reaction-accelerating additives enable the complete conversion of containing oxygen compounds to carbon monoxide with subsequent thermal conductivity detection.

Alternatively, inorganic, organometallic as well as boron-, fluorine- and phosphorus-containing samples can be melted in a graphite capsule by vacuum hot extraction at up to 2700°C. The oxygen content is determined by detecting the resulting carbon monoxide by infrared spectroscopy.

Especially for organometallic compounds, a combination of pyrolysis and vacuum hot extraction is possible. In this way, both volatile (e.g. from water) and stable oxygen components (e.g. from metal oxides) are detected.

Oxygen trace analyses of metals, alloys or ceramic materials can be conducted by carrier gas hot extraction. By melting the sample at up to 2700°C carbon monoxide is formed, which is detected by infrared spectroscopy. For very stable oxides, melt-forming additives are used.