Determination of sulfur in silicate materials by infrared detection following combustion

The time consuming and difficult procedure for the determination of sulphur in glass--barium sulfate gravimetry--is replaced by an infrared detection system. This paper presents an evaluation of the analytical capabilities of such a system. The method combusts sulphur in an oxygen atmosphere to evolve sulphur dioxide. The sample is then placed in a crucible, with an accelerator, and burned. The combustion gases are carried into an infrared detector where the amount of sulphur dioxide is displayed. Samples are chosen based on sulphur concentration. The most useful metallic accelerators are porous tungsten and a mixture of iron metal and vanadium pentoxide. Interference by chlorides and nitrates must be calculated into the results.