Finishing chemicals elemental analysis

Chemical finishing can be defined as the use of chemicals to achieve a desired fabric property. Chemical finishing, also referred to as wet finishing, includes processes that change the chemical composition of the fabrics that they are applied to. In other words, an elemental analysis of a fabric treated with a chemical finish will be different from the same analysis done prior to the finishing. 

Elemental analysis is probably the oldest method that has been used to analyze textile finishes. It is still the gold standard in that aU newly developed methods are judged by how well results from the new method compare to results from elemental analysis. Traditional wet chemical methods, such as Kjeldahl nitrogen analysis, continue to have a place in finish analysis. Elemental analysis can be qualitative or quantitative, depending on the need. 

In elemental analysis of viscous oils, the analyst is most commonly interested in the presence of contaminant metals, nitrogen, and sulfur present in the hydrocarbon fraction. For finished products, additional information is sought regarding elements contributed by additives. While there exist many classical, wet chemical methods for determination of metals and certain elements, routine analysis generally involves instrumental methods based on spectrometric techniques including atomic absorption, emission, X-ray and plasma spectrometry. 

Finally, besides carbon and hydrogen, high molecular weight fractions of crude oil often contain oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen compounds trace quantities of metals may also be present. Determining the chemical form present for these elements provides additional important information. Finished products made using viscous oils may contain additives or contaminants that also require analysis. 

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