Effect of citric acid and hydrochloric acid on the polarographic behaviour of tin -: Application to the determination of tin(II) in presence of tin(IV) in the activating solutions of the electroless plating of polymers

A new method for the determination of tin(II) in presence of tin(IV) is described. The method is based on differential pulse polarography on the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE). The effect of citric acid and hydrochloric acid concentrations on the polarographic peaks of tin(II) and tin(IV) has been studied. In 1 M HCl, the total quantity of tin can be determined, as under these conditions, in the absence of complexing agents, eventual variations in the oxidation states, in any concentration ratio, do not affect the peak height and the peak potential. In 0.2 M HCl and 0.2 M citric acid, tin(II) can be determined selectively in presence of tin(IV), as under these conditions, tin(IV) does not present polarographic response, while a well-defined peak is observed for tin(II). The method is applied to determine tin(II) and total tin in the activating solutions of the electroless plating of polymers. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved.