989. Barium Peroxide

Nomenclature

CAS number: 1304-29-6
Barium dioxide; barium superoxide.
BaO2; mol wt 169.33.
Ba 81.10%, O 18.90%.

Description and references

Prepn: Gmelins, Barium (8th ed) 30, 92-98 (1932) and supplement, 177, 296 (1960).

Properties

White or grayish-white, heavy powder. Poisonous, oxidizer. Dec slowly in air. Insol in water, but slowly dec by contact with it; dec by dil acid or CO2 in presence of H2O forming H2O2. Combines with water to form octahydrate. Keep well closed. The article of commerce contains about 85% BaO2; the remainder is chiefly BaO.

Use

Bleaching animal substances, vegetable fibers and straw; glass decolorizer; manuf H2O2 and oxygen; dyeing and printing textiles; with powdered aluminum in welding; in cathodes; in igniter compositions. Oxidizing agent in organic synthesis.