Quantitative carbon measurement in anthracite using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy with binder

Area of Science:

• Geochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Quantitative carbon measurement in anthracites presents challenges due to high uncertainty with traditional laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).
• Improving the repeatability and accuracy of LIBS for anthracite analysis is crucial for reliable material characterization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance the precision and accuracy of quantitative carbon measurement in anthracites using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).
• To investigate the effectiveness of incorporating binders in anthracite samples for improved LIBS analysis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized binders to improve the cohesion of anthracite powder for laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) measurements.
• Optimized the binder composition, specifically Na(2)SiO(3)·9H(2)O, and employed silicon from the binder as an internal calibration element.
• Calibrated the method using 15 anthracite samples and validated it with 7 independent samples.

Main Results:

• The optimized binder, sodium silicate decahydrate (Na(2)SiO(3)·9H(2)O), significantly improved measurement repeatability and accuracy.
• Achieved an average relative standard deviation (RSD) of 12.1%, R(2) of 0.76, and root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 6.25% for carbon measurement.
• Demonstrated the effectiveness of using silicon from the binder as an internal calibration element for enhanced LIBS analysis.

Conclusions:

• The addition of optimized binders is a viable strategy to improve carbon measurement precision and accuracy in anthracites via LIBS.
• This binder-assisted LIBS approach offers a more reliable method for quantitative carbon analysis in anthracite coal.