Voltammetric Determination of the Explosive Penthrite

This Bachelor Thesis is focused on the investigation of voltammetric behavior of the explosive penthrite (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) (PETN) and on searching for optimum conditions for its determination using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) at a hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE). Mixtures of Britton-Robinson buffer (BR-buffer) and methanol in a volume ratio of 9:1 were used as supporting electrolytes in the investigation of voltammetric behavior of PETN in aqueous-methanolic media, and methanolic solutions of tetramethylammonium bromide (TMAB) and tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBAC) were used for investigations in non-aqueous (methanolic) media. Initially, the study of the influence of pH on voltammetric behavior of PETN was performed. Three pH values of the BR-buffer were chosen as suitable: 2.0, 6.0, and 9.0. At these pH values, the influence of the content of methanol in a supporting electrolyte on the voltammetric response of PETN was measured. At all three pH values, the best responses were obtained at a volume ratio of the BR-buffer and methanol of 9:1 or at a 100% content of methanol (here, TMAB and TBAC methanolic supporting electrolytes were tested and TMAB was selected as the optimum one). Concentration dependences were measured in five different media (in the concentration..