Silicone Oil Analysis by Coulometric Karl Fischer Titration

This application note describes the water determination in silicone oil samples, and compares the results that are obtained by direct injection with the ones obtained using the InMotion KF Oven Autosampler.

Background

Silicone oils are liquids consisting of polymerized siloxanes with organic side chains. Their high thermal stability and their lubricating properties make them exceptional lubricants and thermic fluid oils for both high and low temperature applications. Therefore, silicone oils play an important role in freeze-dryers as refrigerants, wet-type transformer oils, in diffusion pumps and oil-filled heaters.

Silicone oils are highly water repellent. Nevertheless, increased water contents can compromise the above-mentioned qualities and are therefore generally undesirable.

The water content of two silicone oil samples was determined with a coulometric Karl Fischer titrator using both the direct injection method as well as gas phase extraction with a KF oven autosampler.

This application note includes:

• Introduction
• Sample Preparation and Procedures
• Solutions and Chemicals
• Chemistry
• Instruments and Accessories
• Method in Detail
• Results and Remarks

And method files (.lmt and .xml) for direct import and implementation on the instrument.