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Limits of Detection in High-Purity Copper

Application Brief

Limits of Detection in High Purity Copper by ICP-OES With Axial and Dual Side-On Plasma Observation

Copper and its alloys constitute one of the major groups of commercial metals. They are widely used because of their excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, outstanding resistance to corrosion, and ease of fabrication, together with good strength and fatigue resistance.

High purity copper is used extensively for cables and wires, electrical contacts, and a wide variety of other parts that require material of high conductivity.

Electrolytically refined copper made from cathode copper is the most common of all the electrical coppers and has an electrical conductivity greater than 58 MS/m (100% IACS), a value only exceeded by silver, which yields a conductivity of 61 MS/m.

Since even low levels of impurities influence conductivity, annealability and the physical properties of the material, maximum concentration levels need to be controlled. 

Electrolytic Tough Pitch Copper is specified, for example, in the European DIN CEN/TS 13388:2020-09, the US ASTM B115-10 (2021)or the Chinese GB/T 5231:2022.

This application report outlines the analysis of high-purity copper using the SPECTRO ARCOS ICP-OES analyzer.