Overview
EN ISO 21587-2:2007 (ISO 21587-2:2007) defines traditional wet chemical analysis methods for the chemical analysis of aluminosilicate refractory products and raw materials. Published by CEN/ISO, this part provides an alternative to X-ray fluorescence (XRF) (see ISO 12677:2003) and specifies validated laboratory procedures, calibration and calculation methods to determine major and minor oxide constituents in refractories.
Key topics
- Scope and purpose: Wet chemical procedures for quantifying SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3 (total Fe as Fe2O3), TiO2, MnO, CaO, MgO, Na2O, K2O, Cr2O3, ZrO2 and P2O5 in aluminosilicate refractory products.
- Analytical methods included: colorimetric and spectrophotometric assays (e.g., molybdenum-blue method for residual SiO2), titrimetric routines (e.g., CyDTA–zinc back-titration for Al2O3, with specified reagent concentrations), flame photometry for alkali oxides, permanganate absorption for MnO, and specific color reagents for Cr2O3, ZrO2 and P2O5.
- Laboratory procedure detail: sample dissolution, preparation of stock and blank solutions, step-by-step reagent additions, calibration-graph plotting, absorbance measurement wavelengths and titration end‑point indicators.
- Calculation and reporting: formulae for mass fraction calculations, use of calibration curves, blank corrections and required test report content.
- Quality and safety: references to general wet-chemistry requirements and precautions (e.g., handling of chloroform extracts, avoidance of explosive drying).
Applications
- Quality control and incoming inspection of refractory bricks, castables and raw batches where XRF is unavailable or as a cross-check to XRF results.
- R&D and failure analysis in materials development and forensic investigations of refractory performance.
- Regulatory and contract compliance where standardized wet chemical data are required for specifications or certification.
- Small or resource-limited labs that rely on classical wet chemistry rather than expensive XRF or ICP instrumentation.
Who should use this standard
- Industrial and third‑party testing laboratories
- Refractory manufacturers and materials engineers
- Academic and industrial researchers working on aluminosilicate ceramics
- Quality managers and procurement specialists specifying chemical acceptance criteria
Related standards
Keywords: EN ISO 21587-2:2007, ISO 21587-2, wet chemical analysis, aluminosilicate refractory products, XRF alternative, chemical analysis, Al2O3, SiO2, refractory testing.