Sciencemadness Discussion Board
Not logged in [Login ]
Go To Bottom

Printable Version  
Author: Subject: pH probe for toluene
angelhair
Hazard to Self
**




Posts: 81
Registered: 14-4-2008
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 6-11-2008 at 16:28
pH probe for toluene


What type of pH probe can best be used to measure and monitor the HCl gassing of substanes in polar or very weakly polar solvents like toluene?
View user's profile View All Posts By User
not_important
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 3873
Registered: 21-7-2006
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 6-11-2008 at 17:45


Probably best to just look for increased escaping gas, overshooting a bit in the process.
View user's profile View All Posts By User
Klute
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 1378
Registered: 18-10-2006
Location: France
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 7-11-2008 at 01:17


I remember some debate here (i think) on this issue, i think the bottom end was that pH-electrodes cannot give a accurate measurement of the "pH" of a non-poalr solution, as it can't measure any H3O+ (there isn't any), it could be used to roughly determine the point where all the base had been titrated, but needed good stirring: a single "drop" of neutralized salt with some trace of water would give an acidic response even if some non-poalr freebase was still around...

I persoanlly think that wetted ph-paper is just fine, just need a little patience. Bteer know roughly how much base you have in solution in the first place, and then add just under the required amount of acid, and titrate slowly, testing with a spatula and some moistened ph-paper.

Depending on your use, you could even add a minute amount of phenolphatleine in solution, or another colored indicator.




\"You can battle with a demon, you can embrace a demon; what the hell can you do with a fucking spiritual computer?\"

-Alice Parr
View user's profile View All Posts By User
stoichiometric_steve
National Hazard
****




Posts: 819
Registered: 14-12-2005
Member Is Offline

Mood: satyric

[*] posted on 9-11-2008 at 23:54


There apparently are some newer pH electrodes ("solvotrodes") that work with organic solvents, albeit they do really need good stirring.



View user's profile View All Posts By User
chemrox
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 2961
Registered: 18-1-2007
Location: UTM
Member Is Offline

Mood: LaGrangian

[*] posted on 9-11-2008 at 23:58


and don't give a pH as such by definition



"When you let the dumbasses vote you end up with populism followed by autocracy and getting back is a bitch." Plato (sort of)
View user's profile View All Posts By User
angelhair
Hazard to Self
**




Posts: 81
Registered: 14-4-2008
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 10-11-2008 at 00:48


I will check that out thanks.

Just on a slight side note. I read that if you overshoot with HCl your salt will start to solute back into the solvent. That does the amount that solutes do so proportionally to the pH and say that your already < pH1 will more and more solute if you continue to gass the hell out of it?
View user's profile View All Posts By User
angelhair
Hazard to Self
**




Posts: 81
Registered: 14-4-2008
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 7-12-2008 at 20:24


Quote:

and don't give a pH as such by definition


Can you please explain. The Metrohm web site say's it measures 0 - ph 14 and it looks like it conects to any old meter.
View user's profile View All Posts By User
not_important
International Hazard
*****




Posts: 3873
Registered: 21-7-2006
Member Is Offline

Mood: No Mood

[*] posted on 8-12-2008 at 02:19


pH is related to the concentration of hydrogen ions, in non-polar solvents the concentration of H+ is low to none. A pH probe is more likely reporting the concentration of hydrogen ions within itself, which would bear some relationship to the concentration of the non-ionised acid in the bulk non-polar solvent.
View user's profile View All Posts By User
Blind Angel
National Hazard
****




Posts: 845
Registered: 24-11-2002
Location: Québec
Member Is Offline

Mood: Meh!

[*] posted on 8-12-2008 at 09:47


Aren't they actually giving the concentration of H3O+ ions? I had the impression that the concept of free H+ was a simplification. But you can also use the proton giver concept, which in that case cannot be analyzed by electrode no?



/}/_//|//) /-\\/|//¬/=/_
My PGP Key Fingerprint: D4EA A609 55E4 7ADD 8529 359D D6E2 33F6 4C76 78ED
View user's profile View All Posts By User This user has MSN Messenger

  Go To Top