Qotho CRM-1-253 - Ferrochrome - ColdBlock Technologies

APPLICATION NOTE

Qotho CRM-1-253 – Ferrochrome

SUMMARY

The application note summarizes the digestion of QCRM-1-253, a Ferrochrome Certified Reference Material using ColdBlock™ Digestion Pro Series Technology.

Instrument:	ColdBlock CBM sample digester, chiller, HF inserts, ICP-OES
Published:	March 2026
Digestion Time:	95.5 Minutes
Acid Used:	H₂SO₄, HNO₃, HF
Average ColdBlock Recovery vs. CRM:	99% Cobalt 103% Chromium 103% Nickel

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METHODOLOGY

The chiller temperature was set to -5 °C.
Approximately 0.100 g of each sample was accurately weighed and transferred into a ColdBlock digestion vessel.
A reagent mixture of 20 mL 5 % H₂SO₄ _v/v and 2 mL HF was added to each vessel.
Samples were digested at 100 % power for 5 minutes, followed by 40% power for 80 minutes.
An additional 5 mL HNO₃ was introduced to each vessel.
Samples were further digested at 40 % power for 10 minutes, followed by 100 % power for 30 seconds.
Digestates were allowed to cool, then quantitatively diluted to a final volume of 50mL using a solution of 2 % HNO₃ _v/v.

DISCUSSION

An optional addition of boric acid (20mL of 4% _v/v H₃BO₃) can be used to complex residual fluoride ions, which stabilizes the solution and enables safe analysis on sample introduction systems that are not equipped with inert HF kits.
The inclusion of boric acid did not enhance the recovery of magnesium.

Results

QCRM-1-253 – Ferrochrome Powder
Element	Certified Value (wt.%)	+/-	Sample A	Sample B	Sample C	Average (wt.%)	Stdev	RSD	Recovery
Al	0.08	0.02	0.09	0.09	0.08	0.09	0.005	5.4%	109%
Co	0.058	0.001	0.058	0.056	0.057	0.057	0.001	2.0%	99%
Cr	52.5	0.07	53.99	53.31	54.37	53.89	0.54	1.0%	103%
Fe	36.62	0.16	36.98	36.41	37.08	36.82	0.36	1.0%	101%
Mg	0.049	0.01	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.03	0.001	2.2%	61%
Mn	0.31	0.01	0.32	0.32	0.33	0.32	0.004	1.1%	105%
Ni	0.163	0.004	0.17	0.17	0.17	0.17	0.003	1.6%	103%
Si	0.38	0.03	0.38	0.40	0.35	0.38	0.027	7.0%	100%
Ti	0.134	0.002	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.00	1.4%	96%
V	0.34	0.01	0.34	0.34	0.34	0.34	0.004	0.01	100%

Qotho Minerals (Pty) Ltd (2022). QCRM‑1‑253 Ferrochrome Certified Reference Material, Certificate of Analysis. South Africa.

Click here to download the Application Note in PDF format.

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