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Ross W. Moshier, Analytical Chemistry of Niobium and Tantalum
BOOK
97
REVIEWS
BOOK
REVIEWS
J. PAUL CALI, Trace A~tuIysis of Semiconductor Matevials, ford-London-New York-Paris, 1964, ix + 282 pp., price 70 s.
Pcrgamon
Press, Ox-
The provision of materials on a commercial basis, in which impurities do not exceed the part per million level, and even ower levels, is bccoxning increasingly “fashionable”, and in the semiconductor industry the restricted weight of sample often adds considerably to analysts’ problems. Analysis is rccof+sed as an important factor in the rapidly developing technology of semiconductors, and it is not surprising that the emphasis of this book is on physical methods of analysis. For cxrunplc, rccornrncndecl techniques involve neutron activation, emission spectroscopy and sparksource mass spcctromctry. Three chapters, occupying about two-thirds of the book, deal with these subjects; thercaftcr the final chapter is devoted to Ahsorption, Flrrrescence and Polarographic Methods. In all sections of the book a useful background is given to the basic principles involved. This is a useful approach to anyone analysing semiconductor materials, or materials of a similar nature, for the first time A criticism, however, is the somewhat lengthy discourse under Absorption Spcctrophotometvyy and, to a lesser extent, under En~ission Sfiectroscojy, where it would have been reasonable to assume a basic knowledge of some of the underlyirq principles associated with the types of instrument used, in view of their extensive application in most analytical laboratories. The analysis of semiconductor materials covers a very wide, highly special&cd field, hence the main object of the book is to advise rather than instruct the analyst how to set about his task. For this reason the book is sensibly &void of cletailcd operational instructions but contains a wealth of practical information, adequately condensed in appropriate chapters. The book, which comprises contributions by specialists, is well-presented. Anyone faced with the problem of analysing semiconductors or inorganic materials generally where the emphasis is on the determination of impurities at very low levels, will find it by prcscnt-day tnoiletary standards, a good invcstrnent. W. T. ELWI~LI, (Birmingham) Arral. Clrir11. nc1a. 32
(1gG.q
97
Ross W. hfoSHIER, Analytical Clremistvy of Niobizrm and Tantalum, International Series of Monoqaphs on Analytical Chemistry, Vol. rG, Pcrgamon Press, Oxford, 1964, v + 278 pp., price go s. Concurrently with new and important technological applications of niobium and tantalum in rcccnt years, considerable propess has been made in the analytical chemistry of these closely related metals. This publication fills an outstanding need in analytical chemistry because it presents under a single cover, up-to-date information on this important topic. A brief historical account of the two metals, with details of processes used for Ancal.
Cirim.
Aclcc,
32 (1gG5)
g7-g8
BOOK
98
REVIEWS
recovering them from their ores is followed by chapters on the chemical and physical chapter IV deals exclusively with properties of the metals and their compounds; compounds of analytical interest. In Chapter V, identification tests are given. In the following twelve chapters every aspect of analytical chemistry relevant to the determination of the two metals appears to have been covered; these include recommended procedures based on splvent extraction, ion-exchange chromatography, polarography, X-ray fluorescence and neutron activation. Chapter XVIII deals with the determination of impurities associated with niobium and tantalum; most methods are adequately discussed, although some warrant considerable expansion, particularly the vacuumfusion procedure for the determination of oxygen. The book is well written and suitably edited, and the author is to be congratulated for presenting the information logically and in such a stimulating manner. D. F. WOOD (Birmingham)
B. BREYER AND metry, Wiley-Interscience,
H.
H.
~AUER.
Alternating
C’urrent I-‘o/arography
and ~ensam-
New York, x963, xix -k 287 pp., price go s.
This book is Volume 13 of the series of monographs publishecl by Wiley-Interscience under the general title “Chemical Analysis”. It surveys the field of analytical and electrochemical stud& in which alternating current (sine-wave or scluare-wave) is applied to a dropping mercury electrode in a suitable elcctrolytc solution, covering the literature up to and including xg6o. Of the work that has been done in this field, about half has had an analytical aim, whereas the rest has been concerned primarily with the kinetics and mechanism of the clectrodc processes. In consequence this book is also something of a hybrid and contains a good deal that some analytical if A.C. polarographic chemists may regard as difficult or superfluous. Actually, methods are to be used analytically, the user must understand something of therelevant electrochemical and diffusion theory. Such a background is presented, in a reasonable compromise between simplicity and theoretical rigour, in Chapter 2 (67 pp.). An understandi~ of this theoretical background is more necessary for the avoidance of error than it is in ordinary polarography. In particular, for example, the alternating current due to a given concentration of a depolariser is often far more sensitive to minor changres in the composition of the base electrolyte than is the ordinary polarographic diffusion current; only a. proper undcrstandiw of why and when anomalous variations in the alternating current are likely will guard the analyst against misinterpretations, In addition to the chapter on theory, there is one on Instrumentation (30 pp.) and the largest chapter (120 pp.) is on Analytical Applications. Much of the latter is at present rather tentative but should serve as a basis for development. A final chapter on the elucidation of electrode processes does not contain much of value. As a whole, the book should serve well its intended purpose of introducing A.C. polarography to analytical chemists with some electrochemical knowledge. J. E. 13. RANDLES A,rral. Ckim.
Acta,
32 (IQ6,Fj) 98
(Birmin&am)
97
REVIEWS
BOOK
REVIEWS
J. PAUL CALI, Trace A~tuIysis of Semiconductor Matevials, ford-London-New York-Paris, 1964, ix + 282 pp., price 70 s.
Pcrgamon
Press, Ox-
The provision of materials on a commercial basis, in which impurities do not exceed the part per million level, and even ower levels, is bccoxning increasingly “fashionable”, and in the semiconductor industry the restricted weight of sample often adds considerably to analysts’ problems. Analysis is rccof+sed as an important factor in the rapidly developing technology of semiconductors, and it is not surprising that the emphasis of this book is on physical methods of analysis. For cxrunplc, rccornrncndecl techniques involve neutron activation, emission spectroscopy and sparksource mass spcctromctry. Three chapters, occupying about two-thirds of the book, deal with these subjects; thercaftcr the final chapter is devoted to Ahsorption, Flrrrescence and Polarographic Methods. In all sections of the book a useful background is given to the basic principles involved. This is a useful approach to anyone analysing semiconductor materials, or materials of a similar nature, for the first time A criticism, however, is the somewhat lengthy discourse under Absorption Spcctrophotometvyy and, to a lesser extent, under En~ission Sfiectroscojy, where it would have been reasonable to assume a basic knowledge of some of the underlyirq principles associated with the types of instrument used, in view of their extensive application in most analytical laboratories. The analysis of semiconductor materials covers a very wide, highly special&cd field, hence the main object of the book is to advise rather than instruct the analyst how to set about his task. For this reason the book is sensibly &void of cletailcd operational instructions but contains a wealth of practical information, adequately condensed in appropriate chapters. The book, which comprises contributions by specialists, is well-presented. Anyone faced with the problem of analysing semiconductors or inorganic materials generally where the emphasis is on the determination of impurities at very low levels, will find it by prcscnt-day tnoiletary standards, a good invcstrnent. W. T. ELWI~LI, (Birmingham) Arral. Clrir11. nc1a. 32
(1gG.q
97
Ross W. hfoSHIER, Analytical Clremistvy of Niobizrm and Tantalum, International Series of Monoqaphs on Analytical Chemistry, Vol. rG, Pcrgamon Press, Oxford, 1964, v + 278 pp., price go s. Concurrently with new and important technological applications of niobium and tantalum in rcccnt years, considerable propess has been made in the analytical chemistry of these closely related metals. This publication fills an outstanding need in analytical chemistry because it presents under a single cover, up-to-date information on this important topic. A brief historical account of the two metals, with details of processes used for Ancal.
Cirim.
Aclcc,
32 (1gG5)
g7-g8
BOOK
98
REVIEWS
recovering them from their ores is followed by chapters on the chemical and physical chapter IV deals exclusively with properties of the metals and their compounds; compounds of analytical interest. In Chapter V, identification tests are given. In the following twelve chapters every aspect of analytical chemistry relevant to the determination of the two metals appears to have been covered; these include recommended procedures based on splvent extraction, ion-exchange chromatography, polarography, X-ray fluorescence and neutron activation. Chapter XVIII deals with the determination of impurities associated with niobium and tantalum; most methods are adequately discussed, although some warrant considerable expansion, particularly the vacuumfusion procedure for the determination of oxygen. The book is well written and suitably edited, and the author is to be congratulated for presenting the information logically and in such a stimulating manner. D. F. WOOD (Birmingham)
B. BREYER AND metry, Wiley-Interscience,
H.
H.
~AUER.
Alternating
C’urrent I-‘o/arography
and ~ensam-
New York, x963, xix -k 287 pp., price go s.
This book is Volume 13 of the series of monographs publishecl by Wiley-Interscience under the general title “Chemical Analysis”. It surveys the field of analytical and electrochemical stud& in which alternating current (sine-wave or scluare-wave) is applied to a dropping mercury electrode in a suitable elcctrolytc solution, covering the literature up to and including xg6o. Of the work that has been done in this field, about half has had an analytical aim, whereas the rest has been concerned primarily with the kinetics and mechanism of the clectrodc processes. In consequence this book is also something of a hybrid and contains a good deal that some analytical if A.C. polarographic chemists may regard as difficult or superfluous. Actually, methods are to be used analytically, the user must understand something of therelevant electrochemical and diffusion theory. Such a background is presented, in a reasonable compromise between simplicity and theoretical rigour, in Chapter 2 (67 pp.). An understandi~ of this theoretical background is more necessary for the avoidance of error than it is in ordinary polarography. In particular, for example, the alternating current due to a given concentration of a depolariser is often far more sensitive to minor changres in the composition of the base electrolyte than is the ordinary polarographic diffusion current; only a. proper undcrstandiw of why and when anomalous variations in the alternating current are likely will guard the analyst against misinterpretations, In addition to the chapter on theory, there is one on Instrumentation (30 pp.) and the largest chapter (120 pp.) is on Analytical Applications. Much of the latter is at present rather tentative but should serve as a basis for development. A final chapter on the elucidation of electrode processes does not contain much of value. As a whole, the book should serve well its intended purpose of introducing A.C. polarography to analytical chemists with some electrochemical knowledge. J. E. 13. RANDLES A,rral. Ckim.
Acta,
32 (IQ6,Fj) 98
(Birmin&am)