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Barium chlorate, Ba(ClO3)2, is the barium salt of chloric acid. It is a white crystalline solid, and like all soluble barium compounds, irritant and toxic. It is sometimes used in
pyrotechnics
Pyrotechnics is the science and craft of creating fireworks, but also includes safety matches, oxygen candles, Pyrotechnic fastener, explosive bolts (and other fasteners), parts of automotive airbags, as well as gas-pressure blasting in mining, q ...
to produce a green colour. It also finds use in the production of chloric acid.
Reactions
Synthesis
Barium chlorate can be produced through a double replacement reaction between solutions of barium chloride and sodium chlorate: : After concentrating and cooling the resulting mixture, barium chlorate precipitates. This is perhaps the most common preparation, exploiting the lower solubility of barium chlorate compared to sodium chlorate. The above method does result in some sodium contamination, which is undesirable for pyrotechnic purposes, where the strong yellow colour of sodium can easily overpower the green of barium. Sodium-free barium chlorate can be produced directly through electrolysis: : It can also be produced by the reaction of barium carbonate with boiling ammonium chlorate solution: : The reaction initially produces barium chlorate and ammonium carbonate; boiling the solution decomposes the ammonium carbonate and drives off the resulting ammonia and carbon dioxide, leaving only barium chlorate in solution.
Decomposition
When exposed to heat, barium chlorate alone will decompose to barium chloride andoxygen
Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...
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Chloric acid
Barium chlorate is sometimes used to produce chloric acid.Commercial uses
When barium chlorate is heated with a fuel, it burns to produce a vibrant green light, which is also a flame test for the presence of bariom ions. Because it is an oxidizer, a chlorine donor, and contains a metal ion, this compound produces a distinctive green colour. However, due to the instability of all chlorates to sulfur, acids, and ammonium ions, chlorates have been banned from use in class C fireworks in the United States. Therefore, more and more firework producers have begun to use more stable compounds such as barium nitrate and barium carbonate.Environmental Hazard
Barium chlorate, like all oxidizing agents, is dangerous to human health and is also classed as toxic to the environment. It is very harmful to aquatic organisms if it is leached into bodies of water. Chemical spills of this compound, although not common, can pollute entire ecosystems and should be prevented. It is necessary to dispose of this compound as hazardous waste. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists barium chlorate as hazardous.References