In this experiment, precipitation titrations which involves the formation of

precipitation during the titration technique is carried out. This method basically involved the
determination of halide ions, anion such as phosphate and chromate in acidic medium by
using silver ions. Throughout this experiment, the solube chloride ions in a sample solution is
determined by using Fajan’s method, one of the precipitation methods which based on the
principle of adsorption indicator. In this method, the reaction between the precipitated that
formed and the indicator is used to achieve the objective of this experiment. The chloride ions
are determined by titrating the analyte which are zinc chloride, ZnCl 2 and potassium chloride,
KCl directly with silver ions which is from silver nitrate, AgNO 3. Dichlorofluorescein is used
as an indicator for argentometry by Fajans method to locate the end point of the titration
process.

At the beginning of the titration, the titrant, AgNO3 will react with the sample
solution, ZnCl2 and KCl to form a white precipitate which is silver chloride as shown at
chemical equation below.

2 AgNO3 (aq) +ZnCl2 (aq)→ 2 AgCl (aq) + Zn(NO)3 (aq)

AgNO3 (aq) + KCl (aq) → AgCl (aq) + KNO3 (aq)

At the start of the process, when a small amount of AgNO3 is added into the sample
solution drop by drop, a small amount of Ag+ ions and an excess of Cl- ions is present in the
analyst and react to form the precipitate, AgCl. The precipitate formed in the present of
dichlorofluorescein will have a negative surface charge due to the absorption of the excess Cl -
ions in the analyst. This negatively charge precipitate will repelled the dichlorofluorescein
anions which also carrying a negative charge and remain the solution in yellowish colour
(Precipitation Titration, 2021).

When the equivalent point is reached, the Cl - ions from the sample solution are fully
consumed to form AgCl, the colloidal AgCl can no longer react with silver ions.
Continuously adding Ag+ ions from AgNO3 into the sample solution after the equivalent point
will eventually lead to an excess on Ag+ ions. This will cause the precipitate to acquire a
positive charge and adsorbs the negatively charge of dichlorofluorescein anoins as the
counter ions on the AgCl colloids will result in a colour change from yellow to pink. When
the colour change is taken place, it has marked that the titration has come to the endpoint with
all the Cl- ions are fully consumed.
Precipitation Titration, 2021. LibreTexts. [online] Available at:
https://chem.libretexts.org/Ancillary_Materials/Demos_Techniques_and_Experiments/
General_Lab_Techniques/Titration/Precipitation_Titration [Accessed 11 November 2022]