The nonaqueous, potentiometric titration of free hydrochloric acid in chloride‐containing polymers

Abstract

The thermal and/or catalytic degradation of chloride‐containing polymers causes dehydrohalogenation which produces hydrochloric acid. A nonaqueous method has been developed for the termination of hydrochloric acid. The sample is dissolved in tetrahydrofuran and titrated potentiometrically with a standard tetrabutylammonium hydroxide solution in a 7.5% (V/V) aqueous tetrahydrofuran solution with a combination glass‐calomel electrode. The method has a relative precision of ±3.7% at the 95% confidence limit and a sensitivity of 25 ppm HCI.