Potentiometric

titrations
:Lecture notes by
Ms.M.Shalini
,Lecturer-Chemical Engg
Adhiyamaan engineering
.college
 Principle

It mesures the change in potential ,

can be used for all kinds of titration :
1- acid base
2-redox
3-complexometry.
 When it is used
 It is used when the endpoints are
very difficult to determine , either
when:

1- very diluted solution.

2-coloured and turbid solution
3-absence of a suitable indicator
 It is a regular titration but instead of
the indicator we used the
potentiometer

 Electrode will measure the PH of the

media
 instrument
 Combined glass electrode ( double
function electrode (
 Potentiometer PH meter
red ox ( mv)
 Magnetic stirrer
1-hot plate ( use the stirrer and
make sure heat is off).
2- magnet capsule
 Combined electrode

 internal reference electrode with

constant potential and
not effected by potential of the
solution.

 reference electrode very sensitive to

potential of the solution ( Ag / Agcl)
 Glass combined
electrode

reference electrode internal reference

electrode
Ag/Agcl

salt bridge PH sensitive

glass
( full of
buffer)
(reserved in a solution of 3 M KCL)
 objectives

 Titration of a weak acid ( acetic acid )

against a strong base ( NAOH)

 Titration of a weak acid (acetic acid )

against a weak base (NH4OH)
 Stock solution

 Unknown acetic acid solution

 0.1 N NaOH
 0.1 N NH4OH
 Experiment
 Fill the burette with the standard titrant.
 Pipette 5 mls of acetic acid sample into 100 mls
beaker and dilute to 50 by distilled water.
 Put a magnet stirrer and dip in the combined
electrode ( make sure that the bulb of the
electrode and the junction bridge are dipped
completely under the water.
 Switch on the stirrer and allow few second
before reading the PH of the solution.
 start the titration by adding 0.5 mls of the
titrant, stir well and then read the PH of the
solution .
 Continue titration as before until near the end
point ( ph change is grater than 0.2 ) , add
small portion of the titrant ( 0.1mls) , stir well
then take the PH reading.
 Repeat until about 10 mls of the
standard titration has been added.

 Plot the potentiometric curve ( PH

value against ml of the titrant ) ,
determine the end point from the
curve and calculate any required
data.
Potentiometric titration curve
of 0.1 n NAOH against ? N
acetic acid
pH PH at alkaline solution

PH at e.p

PH at acidic solution
mls at e.p
mls
 Data to obtain from the
:graph

 The PH of the acetic acid solution.

 The PH of the alkaline solution .
 The equivalence point of the
titration.
 The PH at the equivalence point.
 calculation
 The normality of the acetic acid from
the formula:
N X V = N-X V-
 The concentration of acetic acid (in
gm/l) as follow
a - using the normality :
c = Eq. wt x normality of acetic
acid
B- using the equivalent factor

c of acetic acid = ml( at end point )xf- x Fx

100
ml of the sample
F= Eq. wt of a.a x N of the titrant
1000
Eq. wt = M.wt/no. of H
CH3COOH