ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

A deuterium-palladium electrode as a new sensor in non-aqueous solutions: potentiometric titration of weak acids in acetonitrile and benzonitrile

Ivan Ɖ. Pantić, Ranđel P. Mihajlović, and Ljiljana V. Mihajlović

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Radoja Domanovića 12, P.O. Box 60, 34 000 Kragujevac, Serbia

E-mail: randjel@kg.ac.rs

Abstract: A deuterium-palladium electrode was employed as a new indicator electrode for the titration of weak acids in acetonitrile and benzonitrile. The investigated electrode showed a linear dynamic response for p-toluenesulfonic acid in the concentration range from 0.001 M to 0.1 M with a Nernstian slope of 48 mV in acetonitrile. Sodium methylate, potassium hydroxide and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide proved to be very suitable titrating agents for these titrations. The response time was less than 10-11 s and the lifetime of the electrode was limitless. Advantages of the electrode are: long-term stability, fast response, reproducibility, easy preparation and low cost.

Keywords: potentiometry - deuterium-palladium electrode - sensor - non-aqueous media - nitrile

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-010-0044-4

Chemical Papers 64 (5) 541–549 (2010)