Spectrophotometric determination of titanium with tannin and thioglycollic acid and its application to titanium-treated steels and ferrous and non-ferrous alloys.

A sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of titanium by formation of its complex with tannin and thioglycollic acid at pH 4 has been developed. The intense yellow colour is measured at 400 nm and the system obeys Beer's law over the range 0.2-5 ppm titanium in the solution measured. The method is applicable to titanium-treated steels, stainless steels, permanent magnet alloys and duralumin alloys. The interference of Co, Ni, Cr, Mn, V, Mo and W can be eliminated by prior separation of titanium by controlled addition of cupferron in the presence of thioglycollic acid (TGA). Copper can be quantitatively separated by precipitation with TGA and determined complexometrically with EDTA, with PAN as indicator. Niobium interferes even in traces.