Measuring Vanadium Oxytrichloride

Introduction

Vanadium oxytrichloride (VOCl₃) is a chemical useful for catalyzing olefin polymerization, synthesizing organovanadium, and producing EPDM rubber, among other things.

A bright yellow liquid, VOCl₃ fumes when left in an open container and must be kept under a blanket of inert gas to prevent reactions with ambient moisture. VOCl₃ will hydrolyze upon contact with water vapor to form hydrochloric acid, vanadic acid, and VOCl2 (solid). An additional concern is the toxicity of VOCl₃ and the health risks of unknowing exposure.

The OMA system continuously measures low concentrations of VOCl₃ in facilities that use or store this chemical in production processes. This removes the need for pulling samples back to the lab, instead providing real-time analysis of VOCl₃ concentrations at the site.

Absorbance Curve of VOCl₃ in Process Gas

The OMA recognizes the distinctive absorbance curve of VOCl₃ in the sample:

Further Reading