Strontium oxide or strontia, SrO, is formed when strontium reacts with

oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as ...

. Burning strontium in air results in a mixture of strontium oxide and

strontium nitride Strontium nitride, Sr3N2, is produced by burning strontium metal in air (resulting in a mixture with strontium oxide) or in nitrogen. Like other metal nitrides, it reacts with water to give strontium hydroxide and ammonia: :Sr3N2 + 6 H2O → 3 Sr ...

. It also forms from the decomposition of

strontium carbonate Strontium carbonate (SrCO3) is the carbonate salt of strontium that has the appearance of a white or grey powder. It occurs in nature as the mineral strontianite. Chemical properties Strontium carbonate is a white, odorless, tasteless powder. B ...

SrCO₃. It is a strongly basic oxide.

Uses

About 8% by weight of cathode ray tubes is strontium oxide, which has been the major use of strontium since 1970. Color televisions and other devices containing color cathode ray tubes sold in the United States are required by law to use strontium in the faceplate to block

X-ray An X-ray, or, much less commonly, X-radiation, is a penetrating form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation. Most X-rays have a wavelength ranging from 10 picometers to 10 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30&nb ...

emission (these X-ray emitting TVs are no longer in production).

Lead(II) oxide Lead(II) oxide, also called lead monoxide, is the inorganic compound with the molecular formula Pb O. PbO occurs in two polymorphs: litharge having a tetragonal crystal structure, and massicot having an orthorhombic crystal structure. Modern ap ...

can be used in the neck and funnel, but causes discoloration when used in the faceplate.

Reactions

Elemental strontium is formed when strontium oxide is heated with

aluminium Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. I ...

in a vacuum.

References

External links

Hansen, Tony, "SrO (Strontium Oxide, Strontia)", ceramic-materials.com
Strontium compounds Oxides Rock salt crystal structure {{inorganic-compound-stub