An object of the present invention is to provide a novel method for diagnosing film degradation which can identify the degraded state of a film based on a resin more efficiently and reliably than ever. In order to attain this object, a method for diagnosing the degradation of a film based on a resin is adopted, the method comprising using the following analysis method A and/or analysis method B, which is a non-destructive analysis method: analysis method A: confirming the presence or absence of abnormality in the film by visual observation and olfactometry, and analysis method B: confirming the presence or absence of an acid anhydride and a sign of hydrolysis reaction as to the film by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis.

A first method for determining an amount of water in a sample includes the step of providing a reagent comprising: sulfur dioxide or a derivative thereof; a base; an optional hydrogen halide or hydrogen halide donor; a solvent; and a sulfonic acid; and the step of titrating the sample with the reagent. A second method for determining an amount of water in a sample includes the step of providing the aforementioned reagent, combining the sample with the reagent; and adding a source of iodine to the sample and/or the reagent. The reagent may alternatively consist essentially of sulfur dioxide or a derivative thereof; imidazole and/or a derivative thereof; an optional hydrogen halide or hydrogen halide donor; acetonitrile; methane sulfonic acid; and methanol and/or ethanol.

A reagent composition for a Karl Fischer titration includes (1) sulfur dioxide or a derivative thereof, (2) a derivative of imidazole, (3) an alcohol, and (4) at least one amino acid that is present in an amount that is greater than zero and up to about 10 weight percent based on a total weight of the reagent composition. Moreover, a molar ratio of the derivative of imidazole to the sulfur dioxide or derivative thereof is greater than 1:1. Iodine is optionally included in a one-component reagent and excluded in a two-component reagent. This disclosure further provides a method for determining an amount of water in a sample via Karl Fischer titration. The method includes the step of providing the sample, providing the reagent composition, which optionally includes the iodine (I.sub.2), and titrating the sample with the reagent composition.

A mechanism (10) for an automated Karl Fischer (KF) titration system (1) includes a support console (6), a first vertical guide rail element (11), solidly attached to the support console, and a carriage unit (12), slidably constrained to the first vertical guide rail element, allowing the carriage unit a first degree of linear vertical mobility relative to the support console. The carriage unit holds a vial lift unit (13) with a lift platform (14) for a sample vial (18). The carriage unit, in a downward movement phase, lowers the lift platform from a starting position into an oven cavity of the titration system. A subsequent upward movement phase raises the lift platform to the starting position. A second vertical guide rail element, solidly connected to the lift platform and slidably constrained to the carriage unit, enables a second degree of linear vertical mobility of the lift platform.

An analytical device has an oven arrangement (1) with an oven (2), an insulation system, a ventilation system and a housing. The ventilation system has a first convection system that uses natural convection, arranged to keep the housing cool, as well as a second convection system that uses forced convection, arranged to reduce the temperature in the oven (2). In particular, the analytical device is a component of a Karl Fischer titration instrument.

A reagent composition for a Karl Fischer titration includes (1) sulfur dioxide or a derivative thereof, (2) a derivative of imidazole, (3) an alcohol, and (4) at least one amino acid that is present in an amount that is greater than zero and up to about 10 weight percent based on a total weight of the reagent composition. Moreover, a molar ratio of the derivative of imidazole to the sulfur dioxide or derivative thereof is greater than 1:1. Iodine is optionally included in a one-component reagent and excluded in a two-component reagent. This disclosure further provides a method for determining an amount of water in a sample via Karl Fischer titration. The method includes the step of providing the sample, providing the reagent composition, which optionally includes the iodine (I.sub.2), and titrating the sample with the reagent composition.

A method of measuring a quantity of moisture in an electrode includes at least three steps as follows: disposing an electrode, which is a measurement target sample, inside a container provided with a gas introduction pipe and a gas discharge pipe; heating the electrode by supplying inert gas heated to a predetermined temperature in advance to the inside of the container through the gas introduction pipe, and vaporizing moisture adsorbed to the electrode; and collecting the moisture vaporized from the electrode, together with the inert gas through the gas discharge pipe and determining the quantity of the collected moisture. In addition, a moisture quantity measuring apparatus includes a container that has a gas introduction pipe and a gas discharge pipe, a heating unit, and a moisture quantity measuring unit that collects moisture vaporized from a sample, through the gas discharge pipe and determines the quantity of collected moisture.

A method for determining an amount of water in a sample includes utilizing a reagent and includes sulfur dioxide or derivative thereof, a protic or aprotic solvent or combinations thereof, a derivative of imidazole that has the following structure:

##STR00001##

wherein each of R, R.sup.1, and R.sup.2 is independently a hydrogen atom, a phenyl group, a substituted phenyl group, a first hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a second hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms interrupted in at least one position with a heteroatom, provided that R, R.sup.1, and R.sup.2 are not all hydrogen atoms. The reagent also includes a hydrogen halide donor. A molar ratio of the derivative of imidazole to the sulfur dioxide or derivative thereof is greater than 1:1. The method may include the step of providing a source of iodine.

A first method for determining an amount of water in a sample includes the step of providing a reagent including: sulfur dioxide or a derivative thereof; a base; an optional hydrogen halide or hydrogen halide donor; a solvent; and a sulfonic acid; and the step of titrating the sample with the reagent. A second method for determining an amount of water in a sample includes the step of providing the aforementioned reagent, combining the sample with the reagent; and adding a source of iodine to the sample and/or the reagent. The reagent may alternatively consist essentially of sulfur dioxide or a derivative thereof; imidazole and/or a derivative thereof; an optional hydrogen halide or hydrogen halide donor; acetonitrile; methane sulfonic acid; and methanol and/or ethanol.

A method for analysis of residual lithium compounds in a positive electrode active material for a lithium secondary battery comprises the steps of: analyzing a sample of a positive electrode active material using an oxygen/nitrogen/hydrogen analyzer (ONH analyzer) and a Karl Fischer analyzer to determine the amount of the H component; analyzing the sample using a carbon/sulfur analyzer (CS analyzer) to determine the amount of the C component and the S component; analyzing the sample using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES) to determine the amount of the Li component; and calculating the amount of each of LiOH, Li.sub.2CO.sub.3, and Li.sub.2SO.sub.4 in the sample using the quantification results of the H, C, and S components, and calculating the amount of Li.sub.2O in the sample using the quantification result of the Li component.