An Introductory Course of Quantitative Chemical Analysis, Henry P. Talbot [chrome ebook reader txt] 📗

the temperature above moderate redness (Notes 5 and 6).

Allow the crucible to cool until it can be comfortably handled (Note 7) and then place it in a 300 cc. beaker, and cover it with distilled water (Note 8). The beaker must be carefully covered to avoid loss during the disintegration of the fused mass. When the evolution of gas ceases, rinse off and remove the crucible; then heat the solution !while still alkaline! to boiling for fifteen minutes. Allow the liquid to cool for a few minutes; then acidify with dilute sulphuric acid (1:5), adding 10 cc. in excess of the amount necessary to dissolve the ferric hydroxide (Note 9). Dilute to 200 cc., cool, add from a burette an excess of a standard ferrous solution, and titrate for the excess with a standard solution of potassium bichromate, using the outside indicator (Note 10).

From the corrected volumes of the two standard solutions, and their relations to normal solutions, calculate the percentage of chromium in the ore.

[Note 1: Chrome iron ore is essentially a ferrous chromite, or combination of FeO and Cr_{2}O_{3}. It must be reduced to a state of fine subdivision to ensure a prompt reaction with the flux.]

[Note 2: The scouring of the iron crucible is rendered much easier if it is first heated to bright redness and plunged into cold water. In this process oily matter is burned off and adhering scale is caused to chip off when the hot crucible contracts rapidly in the cold water.]

[Note 3: Sodium peroxide must be kept off of balance pans and should not be weighed out on paper, as is the usual practice in the rough weighing of chemicals. If paper to which the peroxide is adhering is exposed to moist air it is likely to take fire as a result of the absorption of moisture, and consequent evolution of heat and liberation of oxygen.]

[Note 4: The lamp should never be allowed to remain under the crucible, as this will raise the temperature to a point at which the crucible itself is rapidly attacked by the flux and burned through.]

[Note 5: The sodium peroxide acts as both a flux and an oxidizing agent. The chromic oxide is dissolved by the flux and oxidized to chromic anhydride (CrO_{3}) which combines with the alkali to form sodium chromate. The iron is oxidized to ferric oxide.]

[Note 6: The sodium peroxide cannot be used in porcelain, platinum, or silver crucibles. It attacks iron and nickel as well; but crucibles made from these metals may be used if care is exercised to keep the temperature as low as possible. Preference is here given to iron crucibles, because the resulting ferric hydroxide is more readily brought into solution than the nickelic oxide from a nickel crucible. The peroxide must be dry, and must be protected from any admixture of dust, paper, or of organic matter of any kind, otherwise explosions may ensue.]

[Note 7: When an iron crucible is employed it is desirable to allow the fusion to become nearly cold before it is placed in water, otherwise scales of magnetic iron oxide may separate from the crucible, which by slowly dissolving in acid form ferrous sulphate, which reduces the chromate.]

[Note 8: Upon treatment with water the chromate passes into solution, the ferric hydroxide remains undissolved, and the excess of peroxide is decomposed with the evolution of oxygen. The subsequent boiling insures the complete decomposition of the peroxide. Unless this is complete, hydrogen peroxide is formed when the solution is acidified, and this reacts with the bichromate, reducing it and introducing a serious error.]

[Note 9: The addition of the sulphuric acid converts the sodium chromate to bichromate, which behaves exactly like potassium bichromate in acid solution.]

[Note 10: If a standard solution of a ferrous salt is not at hand, a weight of iron wire somewhat in excess of the amount which would be required if the chromite were pure FeO.Cr_{2}O_{3} may be weighed out and dissolved in sulphuric acid; after reduction of all the iron by stannous chloride and the addition of mercuric chloride, this solution may be poured into the chromate solution and the excess of iron determined by titration with standard bichromate solution.]

PERMANGANATE PROCESS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF IRON

Potassium permanganate oxidizes ferrous salts in cold, acid solution promptly and completely to the ferric condition, while in hot acid solution it also enters into a definite reaction with oxalic acid, by which the latter is oxidized to carbon dioxide and water.

The reactions involved are these:

10FeSO_{4} + 2KMnO_{4} + 8H_{2}S_{4} —> 5Fe_{2}(SO_{4}){3} + K{2}SO_{4} + 2MnSO_{4} + 8H_{2}O

5C_{2}H_{2}O_{4}(2H_{2}O) + 2KMnO_{4} +3H_{2}SO_{4} —> K_{2}SO_{4} + 2MnSO_{4} + 10CO_{2} + 1 H_{2}O.

These are the fundamental reactions upon which the extensive use of potassium permanganate depends; but besides iron and oxalic acid the permanganate enters into reaction with antimony, tin, copper, mercury, and manganese (the latter only in neutral solution), by which these metals are changed from a lower to a higher state of oxidation; and it also reacts with sulphurous acid, sulphureted hydrogen, nitrous acid, ferrocyanides, and most soluble organic bodies. It should be noted, however, that very few of these organic compounds react quantitatively with the permanganate, as is the case with oxalic acid and the oxalates.

Potassium permanganate is acted upon by hydrochloric acid; the action is rapid in hot or concentrated solution (particularly in the presence of iron salts, which appear to act as catalyzers, increasing the velocity of the reaction), but slow in cold, dilute solutions. However, the greater solubility of iron compounds in hydrochloric acid makes it desirable to use this acid as a solvent, and experiments made with this end in view have shown that in cold, dilute hydrochloric acid solution, to which considerable quantities of manganous sulphate and an excess of phosphoric acid have been added, it is possible to obtain satisfactory results.

It is also possible to replace the hydrochloric acid by evaporating the solutions with an excess of sulphuric acid until the latter fumes. This procedure is somewhat more time-consuming, but the end-point of the permanganate titration is more permanent. Both procedures are described below.

Potassium permanganate has an intense coloring power, and since the solution resulting from the oxidation of the iron and the reduction of the permanganate is colorless, the latter becomes its own indicator. The slightest excess is indicated with great accuracy by the pink color of the solution.

PREPARATION OF A STANDARD SOLUTION

!Approximate Strength 0.1 N!

A study of the reactions given above which represent the oxidation of ferrous compounds by potassium permanganate, shows that there are 2 molecules of KMnO_{4} and 10 molecules of FeSO_{4} on the left-hand side, and 2 molecules of MnSO_{4} and 5 molecules of Fe_{2}(SO_{4})_{5} on the right-hand side. Considering only these compounds, and writing the formulas in such a way as to show the oxides of the elements in each, the equation becomes:

K_{2}O.Mn_{2}O_{7} + 10(FeO.SO_{3}) —> K_{2}O.SO_{3} + 2(MnO.SO_{3}) + 5(Fe_{2}O_{3}.3SO_{3}).

From this it appears that two molecules of KMnO_{4} (or 316.0 grams) have given up five atoms (or 80 grams) of oxygen to oxidize the ferrous compound. Since 8 grams of oxygen is the basis of normal oxidizing solutions and 80 grams of oxygen are supplied by 316.0 grams of KMnO_{4}, the normal solution of the permanganate should contain, per liter, 316.0/10 grams, or 31.60 grams (Note 1).

The preparation of an approximately tenth-normal solution of the reagent may be carried out as follows:

PROCEDURE.—Dissolve about 3.25 grams of potassium permanganate crystals in approximately 1000 cc. of distilled water in a large beaker, or casserole. Heat slowly and when the crystals have dissolved, boil the solution for 10-15 minutes. Cover the solution with a watch-glass; allow it to stand until cool, or preferably over night. Filter the solution through a layer of asbestos. Transfer the filtrate to a liter bottle and mix thoroughly (Note 2).

[Note 1: The reactions given on page 61 are those which take place in the presence of an excess of acid. In neutral solutions the reduction of the permanganate is less complete, and, under these conditions, two gram-molecular weights of KMnO_{4} will furnish only 48 grams of oxygen. A normal solution for use under these conditions should, therefore, contain 316.0/6 grams, or 52.66 grams.]

[Note 2: Potassium permanganate solutions are not usually stable for long periods, and change more rapidly when first prepared than after standing some days. This change is probably caused by interaction with the organic matter contained in all distilled water, except that redistilled from an alkaline permanganate solution. The solutions should be protected from light and heat as far as possible, since both induce decomposition with a deposition of manganese dioxide, and it has been shown that decomposition proceeds with considerable rapidity, with the evolution of oxygen, after the dioxide has begun to form. As commercial samples of the permanganate are likely to be contaminated by the dioxide, it is advisable to boil and filter solutions through asbestos before standardization, as prescribed above. Such solutions are relatively stable.]

COMPARISON OF PERMANGANATE AND FERROUS SOLUTIONS

PROCEDURE.—Fill a glass-stoppered burette with the permanganate solution, observing the usual precautions, and fill a second burette with the ferrous sulphate solution prepared for use with the potassium bichromate. The permanganate solution cannot be used in burettes with rubber tips, as a reduction takes place upon contact with the rubber. The solution has so deep a color that the lower line of the meniscus cannot be detected; readings must therefore be made from the upper edge. Run out into a beaker about 40 cc. of the ferrous solution, dilute to about 100 cc., add 10 cc. of dilute sulphuric acid, and run in the permanganate solution to a slight permanent pink. Repeat, until the ratio of the two solutions is satisfactorily established.

STANDARDIZATION OF A POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE SOLUTION

!Selection of a Standard!

Commercial potassium permanganate is rarely sufficiently pure to admit of its direct weighing as a standard. On this account, and because of the uncertainties as to the permanence of its solutions, it is advisable to standardize them against substances of known value. Those in most common use are iron wire, ferrous ammonium sulphate, sodium oxalate, oxalic acid, and some other derivatives of oxalic acid. With the exception of sodium oxalate, these all contain water of crystallization which may be lost on standing. They should, therefore, be freshly prepared, and with great care. At present, sodium oxalate is considered to be one of the most satisfactory standards.

!Method A!

!Iron Standards!

The standardization processes employed when iron or its compounds are selected as standards differ from those applicable in connection with oxalate standards. The procedure which immediately follows is that in use with iron standards.

As in the case of the bichromate process, it is necessary to reduce the iron completely to the ferrous condition before titration. The reducing agents available are zinc, sulphurous acid, or sulphureted hydrogen. Stannous chloride may also be used when the titration is made in the presence of hydrochloric acid. Since the excess of both the gaseous reducing agents can only be expelled by boiling, with consequent uncertainty regarding both the removal of the excess and the reoxidation of the iron, zinc or stannous chlorides are the most satisfactory agents. For prompt and complete reduction it is essential that the iron solution should be brought into ultimate contact with the zinc. This is brought about by the use of a modified Jones reductor, as shown in Figure 1. This reductor is a standard apparatus and is used in other quantitative processes.

[Illustration: Fig. 1]

The tube A has an inside diameter of 18 mm. and is 300 mm. long; the small tube has an inside diameter of 6 mm. and extends 100 mm. below the stopcock. At the base of the tube A are placed some pieces of broken glass or porcelain, covered by a plug of glass wool about 8 mm. thick, and upon this is placed a thin layer of asbestos, such as is used for Gooch filters, 1 mm. thick. The tube is then filled with the amalgamated zinc (Note 1) to within 50 mm. of the top, and on the zinc is placed a plug of glass wool. If the top of the tube is not already shaped like the mouth of a thistle-tube (B), a 60 mm. funnel is fitted into the tube with a rubber stopper and the reductor is connected with a suction bottle, F. The bottle D is a safety bottle to prevent contamination of the solution by water from the pump. After preparation for use, or when left standing, the tube A should be filled with water, to prevent clogging of the zinc.

[Note 1: The use of fine zinc in the reductor is not necessary and tends to clog the tube. Particles which will pass a 10-mesh