A cobalt(II)-selective PVC membrane based on a Schiff base complex of N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-3,4-diaminotoluene

A new PVC membrane electrode for Co2+ based on N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-3,4-diaminotoluene, an excellent neutral carrier, has been fabricated using sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) as an anionic excluder and dioctylphthalte (DOP) as a solvent mediator. The electrode exhibits a linear potential response in the concentration range of 7.9 × 10−8 to 1.0 × 10−1 M with a slope of 30 ± 0.2 mV per decade. The detection limit of the proposed sensor is 5.0 × 10−8 M and it can be used over a period of 5 months. The proposed sensor revealed good selectivity over a wide variety of other cations including alkali, alkaline earth, heavy and transition metals and could be used in the pH range of 2.0–9.0. This electrode was successfully applied for the determination of Co2+in real samples and as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of cobalt ions.