The Spectrochemical Analysis of High Purity Gallium

Abstract

Gallium is separated from its impurities by solvent extraction of the HGaCl4 complex with isopropyl ether from 6–7 N HCl. Two extractions suffice to lower the Ga concentration to negligible amounts. The volume of the HCl phase after extraction is reduced and a measured portion dried on waxed graphite electrodes. The spectra are excited with a condensed spark and photographed. Maximum sensitivities reported are (parts impurity per million parts gallium). Al – .03, Ca – .03, Cr – .06, Cu – .015, Pb – .06, Mg – .015, Ni – .06, Zn -, 12. The coefficient of variation of measurement varies from 3.6% for Cu to 14.8% for Pb.