National Projects
REFROHS – Production of reference materials necessary for the analysis of electronic and electrical devices on the EU market regulated by the RoHS Directive
Title:
REFROHS – Production of reference materials necessary for the analysis of electronic and electrical devices on the EU market regulated by the RoHS Directive
Name of the programme: Targeted Grants
Executive Agency: Łukasiewicz Centre
Co-financing for Łukasiewicz – GIT from the funds of the Łukasiewicz Centre: PLN 498,540.00
Total value of the project: PLN 2,001,865.53
Start: 05.10.2020 / End: 31.12.2022
Consortium:
- Łukasiewicz Research Network – Kraków Institute of Technology [Leader],
- Łukasiewicz Research Network – Upper Silesian Institute of Technology
Project Manager for Łukasiewicz – GIT:
Marta Kubiczek, BEng, PhD
Tel.: 32 2345 121
E-mail: marta.kubiczek@git.lukasiewicz.gov.pl
Objective:
Certified reference materials (CRM) are chemically and physically homogeneous materials in which, based on chemical analyses and statistical analysis, the contents of individual elements have been determined. These contents are considered exemplary and serve as a reference in analytical laboratories around the world. The aim of the project was to develop, produce and certify 10 new CRMs for materials based on low-alloy steels, copper, zinc, tin, and aluminium, with a certified content of Cd, Pb, Cr, and Hg (for As instead of Hg steels). These materials are used in the control of the content of these elements in electronic and electrical equipment for compliance with the requirements of the EU Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive RoHS. Such CRMs allow for a simple calibration of the spectrometer in a narrow, Directive-specified range.
The project included the development of casting methods allowing the casting of homogeneous materials containing limited elements in an amount allowing to obtain from 300 to 600 pieces of CRM for each base. The homogeneity tests were carried out using the following techniques: spark-excitation optical emission spectrometry, fluorescence X-ray spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry.
After processing, the produced CRMs are in the form of rollers with a diameter of 40 mm and a height of approx. 25 mm. In the case of steel standards, they are cuboid 35x35x20 mm.
The casted materials have undergone a number of analyses to certify the content of the above-mentioned elements. In addition to the laboratories of the Łukasiewicz Research Network, renowned foreign laboratories were also involved in analyses aimed at obtaining data to determine certified values.
The project ended with their introduction to the market (TRL IX). The produced CRMs were included in the commercial offer and distribution network of Łukasiewicz Research Network – Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals and Łukasiewicz Research Network – Upper Silesian Institute of Technology. They are also used by departments of analytical chemistry of Łukasiewicz Research Network Institutes for ongoing analysis of electronic and electrical materials for compliance with the RoHS Directive.
