Measurement of lithium isotopic ratios as lithium tetraborate ions

M. J. Bickle, H. J. Chapman, C. F. You

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6 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Determination of 6Li/7Li ratios using Li2BO2/+ ions analysed by thermal ionisation mass spectrometry with ion counting has been investigated by numerical simulation and experiment. It is possible to solve for one or more of the 6Li/7Li ratio, 10B/11B ratio and fractionation if one or more of the ratios of the 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 and 59 masses of Li2BO2/+ are measured. Monte Carlo simulation of data sets suggests that within-sample precision on measurement of Li2BO2/+ mass ratios is largely limited by counting statistics and should result in precision as good as 0.25‰ (1σ) on the 6Li/7Li ratio. However repeatability of 6Li/7Li and 10B/11B ratios gives precisions no better than approximately ±3‰ (1σ) and the probable cause is fractionation of the 6Li/7Li ratio on the filament due to the large Li+ ion beam produced during analysis of Li2BO2/+. Plots of variation of sample fractionation with time confirms that fractionation is primarily controlled by varying 6Li/7Li ratio rather than varying fractionation of Li2BO2/+ or 10B/11B ratio. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)273-282
Number of pages10
JournalInternational Journal of Mass Spectrometry
Volume202
Issue number1-3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2000 Oct 16

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Instrumentation
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Spectroscopy
  • Physical and Theoretical Chemistry

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