Sodium peroxide

Yellowish powder

Fixed

2.80 g · cm -3

460 ° C.

657 ° C ( decomposition)

Decomposition in water

Risk

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Sodium peroxide is sodium peroxide. It has the molecular formula Na2O2.

Properties

Sodium peroxide is a yellowish powder. It has the typical characteristics of peroxides, is a strong oxidizer and a very unstable. With water it reacts to form sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide.

The compound has a hexagonal crystal structure with space group P62m. The standard enthalpy of sodium is ΔHf0 = -513 kJ / mol.

Production

Large industrial scale, it is produced by the combustion of sodium in oxygen atmosphere:

Since in the combustion of sodium and sodium oxide in an oxygen atmosphere is created,

It must be separated from the sodium peroxide. To get a higher proportion of sodium, the temperature is maintained at 300-400 ° C. Thereby, the formation of sodium oxide is decreased.

Use

Industrial sodium is used as the oxidizing and bleaching agent. There is, among other things for CO2 absorption (eg respirators, submarines or space stations for " air conditioning " ) and oxygen production use:

In the cation separation process sodium hydroxide can be used / hydrogen peroxide to the alkaline fall instead of the mixture.