With the development of optoelectronic communication technology, the demand for radio and television materials is increasing, especially that of high-purity rare earths. As such, rare earth elements (REEs) are often referred to as “industrial vitamins”. In these applications, the purity of the REE materials is of the utmost importance, as this can directly impact the end-product quality, performance and yields.
Cerium oxide (CeO2), for example, is used as an additive in the glass industry, as an abrasive material for plate glass, and in the grinding of spectacle glass, optical lens, and picture tubes. Its purity is usually required to be as high as possible, mandating the accurate determination of REE impurities at ultralow levels. This work demonstrates the ability of the NexION® 5000 Multi-Quadrupole ICP-MS to accurately and directly measure 14 ultra-trace REE impurities in a high-concentration, high-purity CeO2 matrix, in accordance with Chinese standard GB/T 18115.2-2020 and other similar standards.