What Makes Sodium Percarbonate Important in Chemistry?
A Guide on Sodium Percarbonate
Sodium Percarbonate is a chemical compound utilized as an option for hydrogen peroxide. The formula of the sodium percarbonate is C2H6Na4O12. Sodium Percarbonate is set up by adding sodium peroxide gradually to super cold absolute alcohol. Sodium percarbonate dissolves moderately quickly in water, discharging sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide in the solution. The slight quantity of moisture available now in the environment is adequate to achieve the percarbonate decomposition.
It has various other names, which include Peroxy sodium carbonate, Oxyper.
The following diagram indicates the structure of the Sodium Percarbonate:
[Image will be Uploaded Soon]
Properties of Sodium Percarbonate
The properties of Sodium Percarbonate are explained by dividing them into two main categories. These are:
Physical Properties.
Chemical Properties.
These will be explained one by one as follows:
Physical Properties of Sodium Percarbonate
The physical properties of sodium percarbonate are as follows:
They are produced as odourless powder.
White solid appearance.
These are highly soluble in water.
Toxic by ingestion.
They are used for the production of other chemicals.
Prove to be dangerous for eyes, skin, and mucous membranes due to contact.
Other Properties can be Made More Transparent with the Help of the Following Chart:
Chemical Properties of Sodium Percarbonate
Sodium percarbonate reacts with sodium bisulfate to form sodium persulfate, sodium carbonate, and water. This can be explained more clearly with the help of the following equation:
C2H6Na4O12 + 6NaHSO4 → 3Na2S2O8 + 2Na2CO3 + 6H2O
Application or Uses of Sodium Percarbonate
Most of the sodium percarbonate is utilized by the detergent industry for consumer items. Other applications include algaecides, fungicides, synthesis of chemicals, and environmental applications, such as control of scent at squandering treatment offices. A limited quantity is utilized in dental replacement cleaners and toothpaste. Apart from this, other ways by which they can be used are as follows:
It can be utilized as a sterile for wounds instead of hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solution as sodium percarbonate can be seen as antiseptic. It can also be used as a deodorant.
It has a beneficial impact on bicarbonate hydrogen peroxide, which provides help in the area of oral cleanliness and treatment.
It can be utilized as an option for alkaline treatments. The minerals which can be bleached using H2O2 consist of chalk, rutile, holmites, and natural silicates.
Health Effects of Sodium Percarbonate
Sodium percarbonate, commonly found in customer items, may represent a danger of side effects due to skin or exposure to inhalation. The following are some of the adverse health effects which can be created from sodium percarbonate:
Contact - Skin exposures can cause symptoms that range from minor skin irritation to redness and swelling. Even after having exposure to concentrated solutions of sodium percarbonate, treatment is delayed, then it may cause burns. Also, exposure of sodium percarbonate to the eye may bring about extreme eye irritation, injuries, or even visual deficiency.
Inhalation - It can also cause nose and throat irritation due to the inhalation of sodium percarbonate. It can lead to coughing as well. Repeated exposure of such chemicals may cause sore throat or nosebleeds.
Ingestion - The ingestion of sodium percarbonate may cause swelling, burping, irritation of the mouth and throat, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, and nausea.
Other Effects - The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has not characterized sodium percarbonate as a cancer-causing agent (a carcinogen).
Exposure Potential of Sodium Percarbonate
Work Environment Exposure - Exposures can happen at a sodium percarbonate manufacturing facility or manufacturing, packaging, or storage facility that handles percarbonate. Exposure may likewise occur in case of a transportation occurrence. People engaged with maintenance, inspecting and testing exercises, or in the loading and unloading of sodium percarbonate containers are at more danger of exposure.
Following excellent industrial cleanliness practices will limit the probability of exposure; however, people engaged with higher hazard exercises ought to consistently wear proper personal protective equipment, for example, entirely protective gloves, goggles, and a hard hat. On occasions where the potential for cleaning is high, appropriate respiratory protection equipment should also be worn.
Releases in Environment - Spills of sodium percarbonate need to be contained and isolated from waterways, sewer channels, and any combustible or flammable materials. Small spills ought to be cleared up and set in a perfect container. Never supplant any spilled or contaminated sodium percarbonate back in the first container. Try not to go through adsorbents to drench sodium percarbonate washings. Sponges and adsorbents may contain synthetic substances that can respond with sodium percarbonate. Rinse sodium percarbonate contaminated cloth or paper towels with water until they are liberated from leftover sodium percarbonate. The inability to do so may bring about a fire when the moist cloth/paper dries.
FAQs on Sodium Percarbonate Explained: Properties, Uses & Safety
1. What is sodium percarbonate and what is its chemical formula?
Sodium percarbonate is a chemical substance known as an adduct of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide. It is not a simple mixture; the hydrogen peroxide molecules are incorporated into the crystal structure of sodium carbonate. Its chemical formula is commonly written as 2Na₂CO₃·3H₂O₂. It is often referred to as solid hydrogen peroxide or oxygen bleach.
2. What are the key physical and chemical properties of sodium percarbonate?
Sodium percarbonate exhibits several distinct properties that are important for its applications:
Physical Properties: It is a white, crystalline, odourless, and water-soluble solid.
Chemical Properties: It is a strong oxidising agent. When dissolved in water, it decomposes to release sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide, which further breaks down into oxygen and water. The resulting solution is alkaline due to the formation of sodium carbonate.
3. How does sodium percarbonate work as a cleaning and bleaching agent?
The effectiveness of sodium percarbonate as a cleaning agent comes from its decomposition in water. The process is:
Dissolution: When sodium percarbonate dissolves in water, it breaks down into its constituent parts: sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂).
Oxidation: The hydrogen peroxide then decomposes, especially in warm water, to release active oxygen. This oxygen is a powerful oxidising agent that breaks down stains, kills bacteria, and whitens fabrics.
Water Softening: The sodium carbonate acts as a water softener and builder, which helps detergents work more effectively.
4. What are the main differences between sodium percarbonate and sodium carbonate (washing soda)?
While related, these two compounds have different functions:
Composition: Sodium carbonate is a simple salt with the formula Na₂CO₃. Sodium percarbonate is an adduct with the formula 2Na₂CO₃·3H₂O₂, containing hydrogen peroxide.
Function: The primary function of sodium percarbonate is to act as an oxidising and bleaching agent due to the release of oxygen. Sodium carbonate's main function is to act as a base and a water softener; it does not have inherent bleaching capabilities.
Reactivity: Sodium percarbonate is a reactive oxidiser, whereas sodium carbonate is a stable base.
5. What are the common uses of sodium percarbonate in household and industrial settings?
Sodium percarbonate is widely used for its cleaning and oxidising properties. Key examples include:
Household: It is the active ingredient in many eco-friendly laundry bleaches, stain removers, deck cleaners, and general-purpose sanitisers.
Industrial: It is used in the formulation of detergents, as a disinfectant in various processes, in textile bleaching, and in certain types of organic synthesis as a stable source of anhydrous hydrogen peroxide.
6. What are the main hazards and safety precautions for handling sodium percarbonate?
As a strong oxidiser, sodium percarbonate requires careful handling. The primary hazards include:
It is harmful if swallowed and can cause severe irritation to the digestive tract.
It can cause serious eye damage or irritation upon contact.
It may intensify fire as it is an oxidiser.
Safety precautions include wearing protective gloves and eyewear, storing it in a cool, dry place away from combustible materials, and avoiding mixing it with acids or chlorine-based bleaches.
7. Why is sodium percarbonate often considered a more environmentally friendly alternative to chlorine bleach?
Sodium percarbonate is seen as a 'greener' option primarily because of its decomposition products. When it reacts, it breaks down into water, oxygen, and sodium carbonate (soda ash). These are considered environmentally benign. In contrast, chlorine-based bleaches (like sodium hypochlorite) can react with organic matter in wastewater to form potentially harmful and persistent organochlorine compounds, such as dioxins and chloroform.
8. What is the importance of using 'coated' versus 'uncoated' sodium percarbonate?
The distinction between coated and uncoated forms is crucial for product formulation and stability. Coated sodium percarbonate has a thin layer of a substance, like sodium silicate, applied to its crystals. This coating serves two main purposes:
It improves the compound's stability by protecting it from atmospheric moisture, which could cause premature decomposition and loss of active oxygen.
It helps control the rate of dissolution and oxygen release, which is important for its performance in detergent formulations that have longer wash cycles.
Uncoated sodium percarbonate is more reactive and suitable for applications where rapid oxygen release is needed.
9. How is sodium percarbonate used in specialised fields like aquaculture?
In aquaculture, sodium percarbonate serves as an important emergency oxygenation agent. It is scattered over fish or shrimp ponds where dissolved oxygen levels are critically low. Upon contact with water, it rapidly decomposes to release oxygen, helping to prevent mass fish kills. Its mild oxidising properties also help in controlling certain algae and purifying the pond bottom.
