Determining the Sulfate Content in Phosphogypsum and Cement-Based Materials Based on Conductivity Titration

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Civil Engineering

Background:

• Accurate sulfate (SO₄^2-) determination is vital for understanding cement-based material corrosion and durability.
• Traditional methods (gravimetric, EDTA titration) struggle with low sulfate concentrations in phosphogypsum (PG) and cement.
• Existing methods lack the precision and automation required for reliable material analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an IoT-enabled conductometric titration system for precise sulfate quantification.
• To overcome the limitations of traditional methods for analyzing low SO₄^2- levels in PG and cement.
• To provide a standardized and automated protocol for sulfate detection in complex materials.

Main Methods:

• Development of an IoT-enabled conductometric titration system using Barium Nitrate (Ba(NO₃)₂) as the titrant.
• Implementation of a method to eliminate interference from H⁺, Cl^-, and Ca²⁺ ions using Ag₂O and CO₂.
• Optimization of titration parameters including rate, sample volume (5 mL optimal), and titrant concentration.

Main Results:

• The developed system demonstrated high accuracy with a standard deviation of 0.013 and a coefficient of variation of 0.52% over 15 trials.
• Recovery rates ranged from 103.2% to 103.9%, indicating reliable sulfate measurement.
• The method effectively quantified SO₄^2- in PG and cement-based materials, proving its practical applicability.

Conclusions:

• The IoT-enabled conductometric titration system offers a precise, automated, and standardized approach for sulfate detection.
• This method provides significant theoretical and technical support for rapid sulfate analysis in complex industrial and academic settings.
• The system enhances quality control in industry and supports further research in civil engineering and material science.