Hydrogen ion-selective poly(vinyl chloride) membrane electrode based on a p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene-oxacrown-4.

A hydrogen ion-selective poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) membrane electrode was developed using p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene-oxacrown-4 as ionophore. Apart from the ionophore, plasticisers and lipophilic anions were blended, in various proportions, with PVC in tetrahydrofurane and mixtures so prepared were poured onto glass surfaces to form the membrane. 2-Nitrophenylpentylether has proved to be the best alternative as plasticiser and the lipophilic anions tried have turned out to have an adverse effect on the pH response.