Comparison of two electrodes for the determination of ammonia and nitrogen compounds

Summary Two types of electrodes for the determination of ammonia are compared: one of the liquid membrane and one of the gas detecting type. Important electrode characteristics as response time, sensitivity and selectivity are commented. The ammonia electrode was tested in practice by analysis of ammonia and nitrate in canal water. The precision of the methods described was tested by analysis of synthetic samples, and by comparison with a volumetric and colorimetric method.

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Vergleich zweier Elektroden für die Bestimmung von Ammoniak und von Stickstoffverbindungen

Zusammenfassung Zwei Elektrodentypen (Flüssig-Membran und Gasdetektor) für die Ammoniakbestimmung wurden einem Vergleich unterzogen. Wichtige Charakteristiken (Ansprechzeit, Empfindlichkeit und Selektivität) werden diskutiert. Die praktische Prüfung erfolgte an Hand der Bestimmung von Ammoniak und Nitrat in Kanalwasser. Die Präzision wurde mit synthetischen Proben getestet sowie durch Vergleich mit einer volumetrischen und einer colorimetrischen Methode.

     

Assay of mixtures of hydrazine and other nitrogen bases by thermometric titrimetry

Summary Binary mixtures of hydrazine and one of the following N-containing bases: ammonia, aniline, hydroxylamine, thiocyanate and unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine have been assayed thermometrically. The titrations are based both on the basic and the reducing properties of the compounds. For example, whilst for mixtures of hydrazine and ammonia, the total base content is determined by an acid/base titration, and the hydrazine component is determined by oxidation with bromate ion; for mixtures containing aniline or hydroxylamine, serial titration with bromate ensures that all the hydrazine is oxidised before the onset of oxidation of the other component. Mixtures of hydrazine and UDMH have been assayed in both aqueous and non-aqueous media and a comparison of results has been reported. The main advantage of the proposed methods is that they can be applied to industrial samples, which would render other methods impossible.

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Analyse von Mischungen des Hydrazins mit anderen Stickstoff-haltigen Basen durch thermometrische Titration

Zusammenfassung Binäre Mischungen von Hydrazin mit Ammoniak, Anilin, Hydroxylamin, Thiocyanat und asymmetrischem Dimethylhydrazin wurden thermometrisch analysiert. Sowohl die basischen als auch die reduzierenden Eigenschaften des Hydrazins bilden die Grundlage der Titrationen. Zum Beispiel wird im Gemisch Hydrazin/Ammoniak der Gesamtbasengehalt acidimetrisch ermittelt und die Hydrazinkomponente durch Oxydation mit Bromat bestimmt. Im Gemisch Anilin/Hydrazin oder Hydroxylamin/Hydrazin wird mit Bromat zunächst alles Hydrazin oxydiert, bevor die Oxydation der zweiten Komponente einsetzt. Mischungen von Hydrazin mit asym. Dimethylhydrazin werden in wäßrigem und auch in nichtwäßrigem Medium ausgeführt und die Ergebnisse verglichen. Der Hauptvorteil der beschriebenen Verfahren besteht darin, daß auch industrielle Proben untersucht werden können, bei denen andere Verfahren versagen würden.

     

The Feasibility of Electrochemical Ammonia Synthesis in Molten LiCl–KCl Eutectics

Molten LiCl and related eutectic electrolytes are known to permit direct electrochemical reduction of N₂ to N^3? with high efficiency. It had been proposed that this could be coupled with H₂ oxidation in an electrolytic cell to produce NH₃ at ambient pressure. Here, this proposal is tested in a LiCl–KCl–Li₃N cell and is found not to be the case, as the previous assumption of the direct electrochemical oxidation of N^3? to NH₃ is grossly over‐simplified. We find that Li₃N added to the molten electrolyte promotes the spontaneous and simultaneous chemical disproportionation of H₂ (H oxidation state 0) into H^? (H oxidation state ?1) and H⁺ in the form of NH^2?/NH₂^?/NH₃ (H oxidation state +1) in the absence of applied current, resulting in non‐Faradaic release of NH₃. It is further observed that NH^2? and NH₂^? possess their own redox chemistry. However, these spontaneous reactions allow us to propose an alternative, truly catalytic cycle. By adding LiH, rather than Li₃N, N₂ can be reduced to N^3? while stoichiometric amounts of H^? are oxidised to H₂. The H₂ can then react spontaneously with N^3? to form NH₃, regenerating H^? and closing the catalytic cycle. Initial tests show a peak NH₃ synthesis rate of 2.4×10^?8 mol cm^?2 s^?1 at a maximum current efficiency of 4.2 %. Isotopic labelling with ¹⁵N₂ confirms the resulting NH₃ is from catalytic N₂ reduction.