986. Barium Oxide

Nomenclature

CAS number: 1304-28-5
Barium monoxide; barium protoxide; calcined baryta.
BaO; mol wt 153.33.
Ba 89.56%, O 10.43%.

Description and references

Prepn: Ehrlich in Handbook of Preparative Inorganic Chemistry vol. 1, G. Brauer, Ed. (Academic Press, New York, 2nd ed., 1963) p 933.

Properties

White to yellowish-white powder or lumps. Very alkaline; absorbs moisture and CO2 on exposure to air. Poisonous. On contact with water it forms Ba(OH)2 with evolution of much heat. At 450° combines with oxygen to form BaO2, which is reduced to BaO above 600°. d 5.7. mp ≈1920°. Sol in water, dil acids. Slowly, but considerably sol in methanol, ethanol forming barium alcoholate. Keep tightly closed.

Use

Porous grades are marketed especially for drying gases and solvents (particularly alcohols, aldehydes and petroleum solvents). Swells, but does not become sticky upon absorption of moisture. Used in manuf of lubricating oil detergents. Also used for making barium methoxide.