ASTM E1251-11

ASTM E1251-11 - 15.3.2011

Significance and Use

The metallurgical properties of aluminum and its alloys are highly dependent on chemical composition. Precise and accurate analyses are essential to obtaining desired properties, meeting customer specifications and helping to reduce scrap due to off-grade material.

This test method is applicable to chill cast specimens as defined in Practice E716 and can also be applied to other types of samples provided that suitable reference materials are available. Also, other sample forms can be melted-down and cast into a disk, using an appropriate mold, as described in Practice E716. However, it should be noted that some elements (for example, magnesium) readily form oxides, while some others (for example, sodium, lithium, calcium, and strontium) are volatile, and may be lost to varying degrees during the melting process.

1. Scope

1.1 This test method describes the analysis of aluminum and its alloys by atomic emission spectrometry. The aluminum specimen to be analyzed may be in the form of a chill cast disk, casting, foil, sheet, plate, extrusion or some other wrought form or shape. The elements covered in the scope of this method are listed in the table below.

2. Referenced Documents

E305-21	Standard Practice for Establishing and Controlling Spark Atomic Emission Spectrochemical Analytical Curves
E406-19	Standard Practice for Using Controlled Atmospheres in Atomic Emission Spectrometry
E172-90(1999)	Practice for Describing and Specifying the Excitation Source in Emission Spectrochemical Analysis (Withdrawn 2001)
E158-86(1996)e1	Standard Practice for Fundamental Calculations to Convert Intensities into Concentrations in Optical Emission Spectrochemical Analysis (Withdrawn 2004)
E135-23a	Standard Terminology Relating to Analytical Chemistry for Metals, Ores, and Related Materials (Includes all amendments and changes 7/17/2023).
E1329-10	Standard Practice for Verification and Use of Control Charts in Spectrochemical Analysis (Withdrawn 2019)
E876-89(1994)e1	Standard Practice for Use of Statistics in the Evaluation of Spectrometric Data (Withdrawn 2003)
E1507-98	Standard Guide for Describing and Specifying the Spectrometer of an Optical Emission Direct-Reading Instrument
E691-23	Standard Practice for Conducting an Interlaboratory Study to Determine the Precision of a Test Method
E716-16(2021)e2	Standard Practices for Sampling and Sample Preparation of Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys for Determination of Chemical Composition by Spark Atomic Emission Spectrometry (Includes all amendments and changes 9/7/2022).
E826-14	Standard Practice for Testing Homogeneity of a Metal Lot or Batch in Solid Form by Spark Atomic Emission Spectrometry (Withdrawn 2023)