ASTM D 6443 Standard Test Method for Determination of Ca, Cl, Cu, Mg, P, S, and Zn in Unused Lubricating Oils and Additives

Lubricating oils are generally formulated with additives, which act as detergents, anti-oxidants, anti-wear agents, etc. These additives can contain calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, sulfur, and zinc. Chlorine can also be present in these oils as a contaminant. The ASTM Standard Test Method D6443 can be used to determine if the oils, additives, and additive packages meet specifications with respect to the added elements, and with respect to chlorine contamination.

The analysis of lubricating oils by WDXRF provides a non-destructive method that is easily incorporated into a production environment. This article covers the performance of the Bruker AXS S8 TIGER for ASTM D6443, including precision and Lower-Limits-of-Detection (LLD).