Determination of the Insoluble Aluminum Content in Steel Samples by Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

The insoluble aluminum content in steel samples has a significant influence on the quality of the steel. In this paper, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy （LIBS） is used to analyze the insoluble aluminum content in steel samples using a scanning mode. The average intensity plus 2.5 standard deviations was iterated and the final iteration value was taken as the threshold that distinguishes soluble and insoluble aluminum, and thus total and soluble aluminum content calibration curves were generated. Using the relevant total and soluble aluminum content calibration curves, the total and soluble aluminum contents in steel samples could be determined. The insoluble aluminum content could be determined by subtracting the soluble aluminum content from the total aluminum content. The insoluble aluminum content of standard samples and process product samples were determined using the present mathematical model; the results agreed well with the certified reference values. This method could be used to rapidly characterize the insoluble aluminum content in steel samples.