Sodium percarbonate
Chemical compound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sodium percarbonate or sodium carbonate peroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula 2 Na2CO3 · 3 H2O2. It is an addition compound, specifically a co-crystal, formed by sodium carbonate ("soda ash" or "washing soda") and hydrogen peroxide (that is, a perhydrate). It is a colorless, crystalline, hygroscopic, and water-soluble solid.[4] It is sometimes abbreviated as SPC. It contains 32.5% by weight of hydrogen peroxide.[citation needed]
Crystal structure at 100 K [1] | |
| Names | |
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| IUPAC name
sodium carbonate—hydrogen peroxide (2/3) | |
Other names
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| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
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| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.036.082 |
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PubChem CID |
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| UNII | |
| UN number | 3378 |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
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| Properties | |
| 2 Na2CO3 · 3 H2O2 | |
| Molar mass | 157.009 g·mol−1 |
| Appearance | White solid |
| Density | 2.01 g/cm3 at 20.4 °C (68.7 °F)[2] |
| 150 g/L at 20 °C (68 °F)[2] | |
| Hazards[2] | |
| GHS labelling: | |
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| Danger | |
| H272, H302, H318, H401 | |
| P210, P220, P264, P280, P301+P312+P330, P305+P351+P338+P310, P370+P378, P501 | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
| Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): | |
LD50 (median dose) |
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| Related compounds | |
Other anions |
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Related compounds |
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Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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The product is used in some eco-friendly bleaches and other cleaning products.[4]
History
Sodium percarbonate was first prepared in 1899 by the Russian chemist Sebastian Moiseevich Tanatar (7 October 1849 – 30 November 1917).[5]
Structure
At room temperature, solid sodium percarbonate has the orthorhombic crystal structure, with the Cmca crystallographic space group. The structure changes to Pbca as the crystals are cooled below about −30 °C (−22 °F).[1]
Chemistry
![{\displaystyle {2\,\mathrm {Na} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{2}}\mathrm {CO} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{3}}\,{\cdot }\,3\,\mathrm {H} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{2}}\mathrm {O} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{2}}{}\mathrel {\longrightarrow } {}3\,\mathrm {H} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{2}}\mathrm {O} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{2}}{}+{}4\,\mathrm {Na} {\vphantom {A}}^{+}{}+{}2\,\mathrm {CO} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{3}}{\vphantom {A}}^{2-}}}](http://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/media/math/render/svg/68231c93dcf22ce50cea964c81ea59bb0e1de10c)
Production
Sodium percarbonate is produced industrially by crystallization of a solution of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide, with attention to the pH and concentrations.[7][1] This method is also convenient for the laboratory preparation. Alternatively, dry sodium carbonate may be treated directly with concentrated hydrogen peroxide solution.[citation needed]
World production capacity of this compound was estimated at several hundred thousand tons for 2004.[8]
Uses
As an oxidizing agent, sodium percarbonate is an ingredient in a number of home and laundry cleaning products, including non-chlorine bleach products such as Oxyper, OxiClean, Tide laundry detergent,[4] and Vanish.[6]
Many commercial products mix a percentage of sodium percarbonate with sodium carbonate. The average "Oxy" product in the supermarket contains 35–40% sodium percarbonate with about 5% active oxygen when titrated.[citation needed]
Sodium percarbonate is also used as a cleaning agent in homebrewing.[9]
Sodium percarbonate can be used in organic synthesis as a convenient source of anhydrous H2O2, in particular in solvents that cannot dissolve the carbonate but can leach the H2O2 out of it.[10] A method for generating trifluoroperacetic acid in situ for use in Baeyer–Villiger oxidations from sodium percarbonate and trifluoroacetic anhydride has been reported; it provides a convenient and cheap approach to this reagent without the need to obtain highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide.[11][12]