Abstract
Poly(vinyl chloride)‐based membranes of salen ligands, 2‐((E)‐((1R,2S)‐2‐((E)‐5‐tert‐butyl‐2‐hydroxybenzylideneamino)cyclohexylimino)methyl)‐4‐tert‐butyl phenol (S1) and 2‐((E)‐((1R,2S)‐2‐((E)‐3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl‐2‐hydroxybenzylideneamino)cyclohexylimino)methyl)‐4,6‐di‐tert‐butylphenol (S2) were fabricated and explored as cobalt(II) selective electrodes. The performance of the polymeric membrane electrode (PME) and coated graphite electrode (CGE) were compared and it was observed that CGE showed a wide working concentration range of 1.1×10−8 to 1.0×10−1 mol L−1 with a limit of detection of 7.0×10−9 mol L−1 exhibiting the Nernstian slope 29.6 mV/decade of activity in the pH range 3.0–9.0. It was used for the determination of cobalt(II) ions in water, soil, beer, pharmaceutical samples and medicinal plants and would be used as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration with EDTA.