ANALYSIS OF ALKYL KETENE DIMER (AKD) BY POTENTIOMETRIC TITRATION

A simple and precise potentiometric titration method has been develope d for the determination of milligram quantities of alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) in non-aqueous solvents. It involves the addition of chloroform solutions of AKD to an excess of an organic base followed by the titra tion of excess base with perchloric acid in glacial acetic acid. The m ethod was used to determine non-reacted AKD extracted from hand-sheets : our results agreed with those obtained by capillary gas chromatograp hy. The method was also used to monitor the stability of AKD formulati ons. Wood resin components and stearone, a hydrolysis product of AKD, do not interfere.