Sodium Percarbonate – Definition, Properties, Uses

Aug 12, 2022

Sodium Percarbonate

Chemically speaking, sodium percarbonate is used as an alternative to hydrogen peroxide. The chemical formula is

C₂H₆Na₄O₁₂

Setting up sodium percarbonate involves gradually introducing sodium peroxide to extremely cold pure alcohol. In a relatively short time, sodium percarbonate dissolves in water, releasing sodium carbonate peroxide and hydrogen peroxide into the solution. The percarbonate breakdown can be accomplished with the little moisture in the atmosphere.

What is Sodium Percarbonate?

It combines two compounds, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium carbonate. Other names for it include Peroxy sodium carbonate and Oxyper. The chemical percarbonate formula indicates that pure sodium percarbonate includes 67.5 percent sodium carbonate and 32.5 per cent percarbonate hydrogen peroxide (based on weight). It is a white, crystalline powder called sodium percarbonate.

Most commonly, it is used as a bleaching agent in laundry detergents, washing supplements, and products for automatic dishwashers. Consumers can also buy the 100% pure product as a laundry component.

Additionally, dental, multipurpose, and drain cleaning products may contain percarbonate. In water, it dissolves quickly and breaks into sodium carbonate peroxide and percarbonate hydrogen peroxide.

Sodium Percarbonate Properties

By classifying sodium percarbonate’s properties into two groups, their effects are better understood. Which are:

Physical Properties
Chemical Properties

Sodium Percarbonate: Physical Properties

The following are the physical properties:

It’s a powder-like substance with no smell.
It has a solid white color.
These are very water-soluble.
It can be toxic when consumed.
They are employed in the formation of additional compounds.
It can be harmful when in contact with the skin, eyes, and nasal passages.

Did You Know?

It used in commercial applications has an active oxygen concentration that indicates more than 85% pureness. Inorganic salts such as sodium carbonate, sodium silicates, sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, magnesium sulfate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and borates may make up to 15% of the sodium percarbonate product.

These inorganic salts are either employed as coatings or are present as contaminants. These coatings were created to preserve sodium percarbonate’s stability in domestic cleaning solutions.

Sodium Percarbonate: Chemical Properties

The reaction with sodium bisulfate produces sodium persulfate, sodium carbonate, and water. The following equation can help to describe this in more detail:

C₂H₆Na₄O₁₂ + 6NaHSO₄ → 3Na₂S2O₈ + 2Na₂CO₃+ 6H₂O

The melting and boiling point of percarbonate cannot be established as the compound decomposes with heat. Exothermic breakdown results in the emission of oxygen gas.

Since it is an ionizable inorganic molecule, determining log Pow and vapor pressure is inappropriate. The average sodium percarbonate particle size ranges from 300 to 900 m in diameter. Because it is easily soluble in water, the resulting solution has mild alkalinity. At a concentration of 1 percent, the pH is around 10.5.

Sodium Percarbonate Production Process

Worldwide, it is produced at 10 to 15 production facilities, with roughly half of them located in Europe. It is created by combining sodium carbonate and percarbonate hydrogen peroxide through the dry, spray, or wet methods.

In the dry procedure, solid sodium carbonate is sprayed with an aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution, which reacts with the solid to produce percarbonate.

A fluid bed method is used in the spray process to create sodium percarbonate. Spraying hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate solutions into a drying medium causes the water to evaporate. It is often made in the wet process by crystallization, perhaps in conjunction with salting out.

Sodium Percarbonate Uses

The detergent sector uses the majority of it for consumer goods. Other uses include algicides, chemical synthesis, fungicides, and environmental uses such as odor control at waste treatment facilities. Toothpaste and oral replacement cleaners use a small amount of percarbonate. In addition to this, they can be utilized in the following other ways:

Since it is an antiseptic, it can be used as a septic for wounds rather than hydrogen peroxide in the aqueous phase. Additionally, it functions as a deodorant.
It positively affects sodium hydrogen peroxide, which aids in the prevention and treatment of dental diseases.
It is a possible substitute for alkaline therapies. Chalk, natural silicates, rutile, and holmes, are among the minerals that can be bleached using H₂O_2.

Sodium Percarbonate Uses: In Household

Although it, also known as sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate, may have a long, sinister-sounding name, it is a helpful, ecologically friendly material that may be utilized in various household applications.

It is an excellent addition to laundry detergent and regular household cleaning. Since it has a bleaching effect, stain removers frequently contain it.

The ingredients sodium carbonate and percarbonate hydrogen peroxide are combined to create sodium percarbonate, sometimes referred to as oxygen bleach. Sodium hydroxide dissolves in water and transforms into water, oxygen, sodium carbonate, or soda ash.

Using it throughout the house has several benefits, including being simple to store and quite economical. Because it is a powder, it is simple to use to remove stains and marks or to create a paste or solution for other purposes. Compared to certain alternatives, it is also significantly more environmentally friendly.

Laundry

This has a bleaching effect, making it useful as a cleaning solution or laundry booster. Many commercial stain removers already contain oxygen bleach, but you can also add percarbonate to your laundry by hand.

Bathroom

It can assist with this task as well. Mix 2 teaspoons of sodium percarbonate with 500 ml warm water to clean and sterilize a bathroom. Continue mixing until all of the sodium percarbonates have been dissolved. Before washing, wait for at least 30 to 60 minutes after pouring the mixture into the bathroom. If the staining is persistent, let the chemical sit for the night before brushing and washing.

Tiles and Grout

Despite their location in your house, tiling and grout can easily turn black due to mildew, mold, or just ordinary filth.It may easily remove unpleasant mildew or mold stains from tiles or grout by forming a paste. Create a paste of the sodium percarbonate and a little water, then apply it to the tiles with a fresh sponge or cloth.

Kitchen

It can perform some cleaning tasks in the kitchen, just like in the bathroom. It can disinfect, clean, and deodorize, making it the best substitute for industrial chemicals.

Sodium Percarbonate Health Effects

It is frequently contained in consumer goods, may pose a risk of adverse consequences from skin or inhalation exposure. Some of the harmful health impacts that sodium percarbonate can have include the following:

Skin Contact: Skin exposures can result in several complications such as skin-related irritation, swelling, and redness. If treatment is postponed even after exposure to sodium percarbonate concentrated solutions, it may cause burning sensations. Additionally, exposure to sodium percarbonate can cause serious eye damage, blindness, or even severe eye discomfort.

Inhalation: The inhalation of it might irritate the throat and nose. It may even result in coughing. Such compounds might cause nosebleeds or sore throats when exposed repeatedly.

Consumption: Consuming it may result in swelling, burping, nausea, throat and mouth irritation, diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.

Other Consequences: This has not been classified as a cancer-causing agent by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) (a carcinogen).

Sodium Percarbonate Potential Exposure

Exposure at work: Exposures may occur at a facility that produces or at a facility that produces, packages, or stores percarbonate. In the event of an accident involving transportation, exposure may also happen. The risk of exposure is greater for those working on maintenance projects, performing inspections and tests, or loading and unloading sodium percarbonate cylinders.

Excellent industrial hygiene procedures will reduce exposure, but anyone involved in higher-risk activities should always wear proper protective equipment, such as fully protected goggles, gloves, and a safety hat.

Environmental Releases: It spills must be contained and kept away from waterways, sewage channels, and any flammable or combustible items. Little spills should be cleaned up and placed in a suitable container. Never put any sodium percarbonate that has been spilled or contaminated back into the original container.

Avoid using adsorbents to soak washings with sodium percarbonate. Synthetic materials that react with sodium percarbonate can be found in sponges and adsorbents. Paper or cloth towels exposed to sodium percarbonate should be thoroughly rinsed in water to remove any remaining sodium percarbonate; if they don’t, the damp cloth or paper may catch fire as it dries.

Conclusion

Although this, also known as sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate, is a helpful, ecologically friendly material that may be utilized in various household applications. The typical shelf life of this mixture is 4 to 5 hours. After that, it loses its effectiveness and needs to be thrown away.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the purpose of sodium percarbonate?

Deodorizing, de-staining and bleaching are all done with sodium percarbonate. As a washing pre-soak for highly stained items, it works incredibly well. Place there to increase the effectiveness of your laundry detergent.

2. Are sodium percarbonate and baking soda the same?

The salt is also known as sodium hydrogen carbonate, “sodium bicarb,” bread soda, baking soda, saleratus, or soda bicarbonate due to its long history and popularity. It is water soluble. Although crystalline, this white solid frequently takes the form of a fine powder.