Power Solutions Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) Lab
The sophisticated ICP lab audits the quality of materials supplied by vendor partners. Materials such as lead, sulfuric acid, water and polyethylene/polypropylene components are introduced to the plasma torch, which operates at temperatures equivalent to the sun’s surface (approx. 10,000C). In a few minutes, the composition of the material can be determined and even the smallest impurities—1 part-per-trillions—can be detected.
Two types of ICP equipment are used:
- The optical emission spectrometer measures the intensity of unique wavelengths or colors produced by each element in the plasma.
- The mass spectrometer measures unique atomic masses associated with each element after they are ionized in the plasma. The ICP/MS also analyzes solid surface impurities by laser ablation, a technique that employs the heat of a high power laser to vaporize the test material for analysis.
