SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1952
STP39245S

The Determination of Lithium Oxide in Portland Cement by Flame Photometer

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This paper describes a rapid and reasonably accurate method for the determination of lithium oxide in portland cement by the flame photometer. Several factors indicate a need for such a method: 1. Lithium is one of the most universally distributed of the elements, usually being found in materials of mineral origin (1, 2,3).2 2. When the present ASTM Tentative Method of Test for Sodium Oxide and Potassium Oxide in Portland Cement by Flame Photometry (C 228 - 49 T)3 was under consideration, the selection of the direct intensity procedure instead of the internal standard procedure using lithium salts, was influenced by the possible presence of lithium in portland cement. 3. The present ASTM Methods of Chemical Analysis of Pfortland Cement (C 114 - 47)4 for the determination of potassium oxide and sodium oxide in portland cement includes any lithium oxide that might be present with the sodium oxide while the ASTM Tentative Method referred to above does not. 4. The classical methods for the determination of lithium are tedious, timeconsuming, and require the meticulous care and attention of a skilled analyst (2, 4). 5. In some instances lithium has been found to have an effect opposite to that of sodium on the expansion associated with the alkali-aggregate reaction in concrete (5).

Author Information

Mccoy, WJ
Lehigh Portland Cement Co., Allentown, Pa.
Christiansen, GG
Lehigh Portland Cement Co., Allentown, Pa.
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Details
Developed by Committee: D02
Pages: 44–51
DOI: 10.1520/STP39245S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-5670-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-5669-2