Potentiometric detection of silver (I) ion based on carbon paste electrode modified with diazo-thiophenol-functionalized nanoporous silica gel

For the first time, triazene compound functionalized silica gel was incorporated into carbon paste electrode for the potentiometric detection of silver (I) ion. A novel diazo-thiophenol-functionalized silica gel (DTPSG) was synthesized, and the presence of DTPSG acted as not only a paste binder, but also a reactive material. The electrode with optimum composition, exhibited an excellent Nernstian response to Ag+ ion ranging from 1.0 × 10− 6 to 1.0 × 10− 1 M with a detection limit of 9.5 × 10− 7 M and a slope of 60.4 ± 0.2 mV dec− 1 over a wide pH range (4.0–9.0) with a fast response time (50 s) at 25 °C. The electrode also showed a long-time stability, high selectivity and reproducibility. The response mechanism of the proposed electrode was investigated by using AC impedance. Moreover, the electrode was successfully applied for the determination of silver ions in radiology films, and for potentiometric titration of the mixture solution of Cl− and Br− ions.