Barium peroxide is the

inorganic compound In chemistry, an inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemis ...

with the

formula In science, a formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically, as in a mathematical formula or a ''chemical formula''. The informal use of the term ''formula'' in science refers to the general construct of a relationship betwe ...

Ba O₂. This white solid (gray when impure) is one of the most common inorganic

peroxide In chemistry, peroxides are a group of compounds with the structure , where R = any element. The group in a peroxide is called the peroxide group or peroxo group. The nomenclature is somewhat variable. The most common peroxide is hydrogen p ...

s, and it was the first peroxide compound discovered. Being an

oxidizer An oxidizing agent (also known as an oxidant, oxidizer, electron recipient, or electron acceptor) is a substance in a redox chemical reaction that gains or " accepts"/"receives" an electron from a (called the , , or ). In other words, an oxi ...

and giving a vivid green colour upon ignition (as do all barium compounds), it finds some use in

fireworks Fireworks are a class of low explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large number of devices ...

; historically, it was also used as a precursor for

hydrogen peroxide Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical compound with the formula . In its pure form, it is a very pale blue liquid that is slightly more viscous than water. It is used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic, usually as a dilute solution (3 ...

Structure

Barium peroxide is a peroxide, containing subunits. The solid is isomorphous to

calcium carbide Calcium carbide, also known as calcium acetylide, is a chemical compound with the chemical formula of Ca C2. Its main use industrially is in the production of acetylene and calcium cyanamide. The pure material is colorless, while pieces of te ...

, CaC₂.

Preparation and use

Barium peroxide arises by the reversible reaction of O₂ with

barium oxide Barium oxide, also known as baria, is a white hygroscopic non-flammable compound with the formula BaO. It has a cubic structure and is used in cathode ray tubes, crown glass, and catalysts. It is harmful to human skin and if swallowed in larg ...

. The peroxide forms around 500 °C and oxygen is released above 820 °C. : 2 BaO + O₂ ⇌ 2 BaO₂ This reaction is the basis for the now-obsolete

Brin process Brin process is a now-obsolete industrial scale production process for oxygen. In this process barium oxide reacts at 500–600 °C with air to form barium peroxide which decomposes at above 800 °C by releasing oxygen. :2 BaO + O2 ⇌ 2 ...

for separating oxygen from the atmosphere. Other oxides, e.g. Na₂O and SrO, behave similarly.Holleman, A. F.; Wiberg, E. "Inorganic Chemistry" Academic Press: San Diego, 2001. . In another obsolete application, barium peroxide was once used to produce hydrogen peroxide via its reaction with sulfuric acid: :BaO₂ + H₂SO₄ → H₂O₂ + BaSO₄ The insoluble

barium sulfate Barium sulfate (or sulphate) is the inorganic compound with the chemical formula Ba SO4. It is a white crystalline solid that is odorless and insoluble in water. It occurs as the mineral barite, which is the main commercial source of barium and ...

is filtered from the mixture.

Footnotes

External links

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MSDS at sigma aldrich
{{Barium compounds Barium compounds Peroxides Pyrotechnic oxidizers Pyrotechnic colorants Oxidizing agents

Structure

Preparation and use

Footnotes

See also

External links