U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Juanita M. Kreps, Secretary Dr. Sidney Harman, Under Secretary Jordan J. Baruch, Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology Issued February 1978 C3 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Cali, J. Paul. Guide to United States reference materials. (Standard reference materials) (National Bureau of Standards special publication; 260-57) Supt. of docs. no.: C13.10:260-57. 1. Materials-Standards-United States. 2. Physical measurements. 3. Chemical tests and reagents-Specifications-United States. I. Plebanski, Tomasz, joint author. I. Title. II. Series: United States. National Bureau of Standards. Standard reference materials. III. Series: United States. National Bureau of Standards. Special publication; 260-57. QC100.U57 no. 260-57 [TA404.5] 602'.ls [602'.1] 77-28819 National Bureau of Standards Special Publication 260-57 CODEN: XNBSAV U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (Order by SD Catalog No. C13.10:260-57). Stock No. 003-003-01883-0 Price $2.20 (Add 25 percent additional for other than U.S. mailing). Standard Reference Materials (SRM's) as defined by the National Bureau of Standards are "well-characterized materials, produced in quantity, that calibrate a calibrate a measurement. system to assure compatibility of measurement in the nation." SRM's are widely used as primary standards in many diverse fields in science, industry, and technology, both within the United States and throughout the world. In many industries traceability of their quality control process to the national measurement system is carried out through the mechanism and use of SRM's. For many of the nation's scientists and technologists it is therefore of more than passing interest to know the details of the measurements made at NBS in arriving at the certified values of the SRM's produced. An NBS series of papers, of which this publication is a member, called the NBS Special Publication - 260 Series is reserved for this purpose. This 260 Series is dedicated to the dissemination of information on all phases of the preparation, measurement, and certification of NBS-SRM's. In general, much more detail will be found in these papers than is generally allowed, or desirable, in scientific journal articles. This enables the user to assess the validity and accuracy of the measurement processes employed, to judge the statistical analysis, and to learn details of techniques and methods utilized for work entailing the greatest care and accuracy. It is also hoped that these papers will provide sufficient additional information not found on the certificate so that new applications in diverse fields not foreseen at the time the SRM was originally issued will be sought and found. Inquiries concerning the technical content of this paper should be directed to the author(s). Other questions concerned with the availability, delivery, price, and so forth will receive prompt attention from: Office of Standard Reference Materials Washington, D. C. 20234 J. Paul Cali, Chief Office of Standard Reference Materials Catalog of NBS Standard Reference Materials (1975-76 edition), R. W. Seward, ed., NBS Spec. Publ. 260 (June 1975). $1.50* SN003-00301445-1 Michaelis, R. E., and Wyman, L. L., Standard Reference Materials: Preparation of White Cast Iron Spectrochemical Standards, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-1 (June 1964). COM74-11061** Michaelis, R. E., Wyman, L. L., and Flitsch, R., Standard Reference Materials: Preparation of NBS Copper-Base Spectrochemical Standards, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-2 (October 1964). COM7411063** Michaelis, R. E., Yakowitz, H., and Moore, G. A., Standard Reference Materials: Metallographic Characterization of an NBS Spectrometric LowAlloy Steel Standard, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-3 (October 1964). COM74-11060** Hague, J. L., Mears, T. W., and Michaelis, R. E., Standard Reference Materials: Sources of Information, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-4 (February 1965). COM74-11059 Alvarez, R., and Flitsch, R., Standard Reference Materials: Accuracy of Solution X-Ray Spectrometric Analysis of Copper-Base Alloys, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-5 (March 1965). PB168068** Shultz, J. I., Standard Reference Materials: Methods for the Chemical Analysis of White Cast Iron Standards, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-6 (July 1975). COM74-11068** Bell, R. K., Standard Reference Materials: Methods for the Chemical Analysis of NBS Copper-Base Spectrochemical Standards, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-7 (October 1965). COM7411067** Richmond, M. S., Standard Reference Materials: Analysis of Uranium Concentrates at the National Bureau of Standards, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-8 (December 1965). COM74-11066** Anspach, S. C., Cavallo, L. M., Garfinkel, S. B., Hutchinson, J. M. R., and Smith, C. N., Standard Reference Materials: Half Lives of Materials Used in the Preparation of Standard Reference Materials of Nineteen Radioactive Nuclides Issued by the National Bureau of Standards, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-9 (November 1965). COM74-11065** Yakowitz, H., Vieth, D. L., Heinrich, K. F. J., and Michaelis, R. E., Standard Reference Materials: Homogeneity Characterization on NBS Spectrometric Standards II: Cartridge Brass and LowAlloy Steel, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-10 (December 1965). COM74-11064** Napolitano, A., and Hawkins, E. G., Standard Reference Materials: Viscosity of Standard Lead-Silica Glass, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-11 (November 1966). NBS Misc. Publ. 260-11** Yakowitz, H., Vieth, D. L., and Michaelis, R. E., Standard Reference Materials: Homogeneity Characterization of NBS Spectrometric Standards III: White Cast Iron and Stainless Steel Powder Compact, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-12 (September 1966). NBS Misc. Publ. 260-12** Spijkerman, J. I., Snediker, D. K., Ruegg, F. C., and DeVoe, J. R., Standard Reference Materials: Mossbauer Spectroscopy Standard for the Chemical Shift of Iron Compounds, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-13 (July 1967). NBS Misc. Publ. 260-13** Menis, O., and Sterling, J. T., Standard Reference Materials: Determination of Oxygen in Ferrous Materials SRM 1090, 1091, and 1092, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-14 (September 1966). NBS Misc. Publ. 260-14** Passaglia, E., and Shouse, P. J., Standard Reference Materials: Recommended Method of Use of Standard Light-Sensitive Paper for Calibrating Carbon Arcs Used in Testing Textiles for Colorfastness to Light, NBS Misc. Publ. 260-15 (June 1967). (Replaced by NBS Spec. Publ. 260-41.) Yakowitz, H., Michaelis, R. E., and Vieth, D. L., Standard Reference Materials: Homogeneity Characterization of NBS Spectrometric Standards IV: Preparation and Microprobe Characterization of W-20% MO Alloy Fabricated by Powder Metallurgical Methods, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-16 (January 1969). COM74-11062** Catanzaro, E. J., Champion, C. E., Garner, E. L., Marinenko, G., Sappenfield, K. M., and Shields, W. R., Standard Reference Materials: Boric Acid; Isotopic and Assay Standard Reference Materials, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-17 (February 1970). Out of Print G., Standard Reference Materials: Calibration of NBS Secondary Standard Magnetic Tape (Computer Amplitude Reference) Using the Reference Tape Amplitude Measurement "Process A," NBS Spec. Publ. 260-18 (November 1969). (See NBS Spec. Publ. 260-29.) Paule, R. C., and Mandel, J., Standard Reference Materials: Analysis of Interlaboratory Measurements on the Vapor Pressure of Gold (Certification of Standard Reference Material 745), NBS Spec. Publ. 260-19 (January 1970). PB190071** Paule, R. C., and Mandel, J., Standard Reference Materials: Analysis of Interlaboratory Measurements on the Vapor Pressures of Cadmium and Silver, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-21 (January 1971). COM74-11359** Yakowitz, H., Fiori, C. E., and Michaelis, R. E., Heinrich, K. F. J., Myklebust, R. L., Rasberry, S. D., and Michaelis, R. E., Standard Reference Materials: Preparation and Evaluation of SRM's 481 and 482 Gold-Silver and GoldCopper Alloys for Microanalysis, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-28 (August 1971). COM71-50365** Geller, S. B., Standard Reference Materials: Calibration of NBS Secondary Standard Magnetic Tape (Computer Amplitude Reference) Using "Process A-Model 2," NBS Spec. Publ. 260-29 (June 1971). COM71-50282** Gorozhanina, R. S., Freedman, A. Y., and Shaievitch, A. B. (translated by M. C. Selby), Standard Reference Materials: Standard Samples Issued in the USSR (A Translation from the Russian), NBS Spec. Publ. 260-30 (June 1971). COM71-50283** Hust, J. G., and Sparks, L. L., Standard Reference Materials: Thermal Conductivity of Electrolytic Iron SRM 734 from 4 to 300 K, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-31 (November 1971). COM71-50563** Mavrodineanu, R., and Lazar, J. W., Standard Reference Materials: Standard Quartz Cuvettes, for High Accuracy Spectrophotometry, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-32 (December 1973). 55 cents* SN003-003-01213-1 Wagner, H. L., Standard Reference Materials: Comparison of Original and Supplemental SRM 705, Narrow Molecular Weight Distribution Polystyrene, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-33 (May 1972). COM72-50526** Sparks, L. L., and Hust, J. G., Standard Reference Materials: Thermoelectric Voltage, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-34, (April 1972). COM72-50371** Sparks, L. L., and Hust, J. G., Standard Reference Materials: Thermal Conductivity of Austenitic Stainless Steel, SRM 735 from 5 to 280 K, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-35 (April 1972.) 35 cents* COM72-50368** Cali, J. P., Mandel, J., Moore, L. J., and Young, D. S., Standard Reference Materials: A Referee Method for the Determination of Calcium in Serum, NBS SRM 915, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-36 (May 1972). COM72-50527** Shultz, J. I., Bell, R. K., Rains, T. C., and Menis, O., Standard Reference Materials: Methods of Analysis of NBS Clay Standards, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-37 (June 1972). COM72-50692** Richmond, J. C., and Hsia, J. J., Standard Reference Materials: Preparation and Calibration of Standards of Spectral Specular Reflectance, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-38 (May 1972). COM7250528** Clark, A. F., Denson, V. A., Hust, J. G., and Powell, R. L., Standard Reference Materials: The Eddy Current Decay Method for Resistivity Characterization of High-Purity Metals, NBS Spec. Publ. 260-39 (May 1972). COM72-50529** McAdie, H. G., Garn, P. D., and Menis, O., Standard Reference Materials: Selection of Thermal Analysis Temperature Standards Through a |