Quantitative Determination of Trace Heavy Metals and Selected Rock-Forming Elements in Porous Carbon Materials by the X‑ray Fluorescence Method

A new X-ray fluorescence (XRF) method is proposed for sample preparation and impurity quantification for elements heavier than sodium in carbon materials. The analysis is suitable for various materials including amorphous ones, such as petroleum cokes, with an impurity content higher than 0.01%. We compared a new method with the regular additive method to measure impurities in electrode graphite and petroleum coke. The XRF-based method provides the same sensitivity and accuracy and much greater reproducibility of the analysis results for variations in the sample mass, its density, and coverage by exciting X-ray radiation. The method does not require changes in the instrument software and is easily implemented on commercial analytical equipment.