Gadolinium (Gd) is commonly used in the production of magnetic compounds. Another application is in Mg-Gd-based alloys, which are used primarily for their excellent corrosion-resistance properties, and it is for this reason that they can be used in many other applications which require high-strength and lightweight components. For these uses, the purity of the gadolinium metal should be very high, and therefore, the ability to detect trace impurities is vitally important.
This work demonstrates the ability of the NexION® 5000 Multi-Quadrupole ICP-MS to accurately and directly measure 14 REE impurities in high-concentration, high-purity gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3). Leveraging the combination of the NexION 5000’s true-quadrupole Universal Cell, multi-quadrupole technology as well as the ability to use pure reaction gases (like ammonia and oxygen), polyatomic interferences were eliminated, ensuring accurate results. The robust instrumental design of the NexION 5000 ICP-MS allows the analysis of concentrated and challenging matrices.