Publication

Abstract : Fabrication of carbon paste sensor modified with N¹,N²-bis(salicylidine)butane-1,4-diamine (SAB) for Nd(III) has been demonstrated. The sensor having the composition of 90 % graphite and 10 % SAB exhibited best performance in the concentration range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 1.0 × 10⁻² M. Nernstian slope of the sensor was found to be 19.5 ± 0.3 mV/decade. The sensor displayed fast response time of 10 s in the pH range 3.5 to 8.0. The detection limit is found to be 4.7 × 10⁻⁷ M. The proposed sensor can be used over a period of 5 weeks without any significant changes in its Nerstian behaviour. The sensor showed good selectivity for neodymium in presence of other metal ions such as Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Pb²⁺, Ag⁺, Pr³⁺, Sm³⁺, La³⁺ and Gd³⁺. The practical utility of the developed sensor was investigated in the determination of neodymium in binary mixtures. This electrode is also utilized as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of Nd(III) ions with EDTA.