Composition and approaches

Commercial phosphate esters are usually mixtures of the free acids, although they may be sodium or triethanolamine salts. Monoesters nearly always contain some diester, and diesters both mono- and triester, with the nominal product predominating. They cannot be hydrolysed by either acids or alkalis at normal temperatures, but acid hydrolysis with strong acid at high temperature may be effective. 

Mixtures of mono- and diester and phosphoric acid can be determined by alkali titration. 

Analysis of raw materials can be done in several ways, but analysis of formulated products is more difficult. 

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