Sodium Percarbonate

Brief Overview

Sodium percarbonate is a chemical compound with the formula 2Na₂CO₃.3H₂O₂. It is a product of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide and is a colourless, crystalline, water soluble and hygroscopic solid. It has a number of common names such as sodium carbonate sesquiperhydrate, PCS, solid hydrogen peroxide, Sodium carbonate hydrogen peroxide, sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate. It is orthorhombic and crystalline in structure, at room temperature.

Manufacturing Process

Sodium percarbonate is produced industrially by reacting sodium carbonate with hydrogen peroxide and then subjecting the product to crystallization. If the sodium carbonate is dry, then it can be treated directly with concentrated hydrogen peroxide solution to yield sodium percarbonate. It can also be prepared in the laboratory by treating sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide in aqueous solutions and controlling the pH and concentrations properly.

Detergent Industry

Sodium percarbonate is present as an oxidizing agent in laundry cleaning products, especially the non-chlorine based bleach products.

Chemical Industry

Sodium percarbonate is used in organic synthesis as a source of anhydrous hydrogen peroxide, especially in solvents that cannot dissolve the carbonate but can leach the hydrogen peroxide out of it.