Hydrogen peroxide | Properties and uses

 

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a colorless liquid that is usually produced as an aqueous solution of various strengths, mainly used for bleaching cotton and other textile and wood decorations, like a rocket propeller in the manufacture of other chemicals, and for cosmetic and medicinal purposes. More than 8 percent of hydrogen peroxide solutions are corrosive to the skin.

Hydrogen peroxide is a simple peroxide that is unstable and decomposes slowly in the presence of light. Due to its instability, hydrogen peroxide is usually stored in a dark-colored bottle with a stabilizer in a weakly acidic solution. It is found in biological systems, including the human body.

Properties of Hydrogen peroxide

i. The hydrogen peroxides chemical formula is H2O2.

ii. It is a very pale blue liquid, and slightly more viscous than water.

iii. It is used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic.

iv. Its chemistry is controlled by the nature of its unstable peroxide bond.

v. It is slowly decomposed in the presence of light.

vi. The boiling point of H2O2 has been extrapolated as being 150.2 °C, approximately 50 °C higher than water.

vii. It can be safely distilled at low temperatures under reduced pressure.

viii. It is a non-planar molecule with (twisted) C2 symmetry.

ix. Pure hydrogen peroxide has a freezing point of −0.43 °C.

x. It is thermally unstable and decomposes to form water and oxygen with a ΔHo of –2884.5 kJ/kg and a ΔS of 70.5 J/ (mol·K).

xi. It can also be decomposed biologically by the enzyme catalase.

xii. High concentrations of hydrogen peroxide on flammable substances can cause an instant fire.

xiii. Hydrogen peroxide is toxic to human cells.

xiv. It is a weak acid, forming hydroperoxide or peroxide salts with many metals.

xv. It acts as both an oxidizing agent and a reducing agent.

Hydrogen peroxide uses

i. Hydrogen peroxide is used as an oxidizing agent.

ii. It is used as a sterilizing agent for the internal aseptic zones of the manufacturing machines and the surface of the packaging material.

iii. Alkaline hydrogen peroxide is used in space for electron-deficient alkenes such as acrylic acid derivatives.

iv. It is suitable for use in the cosmetics and medical fields as a disinfectant and a bleaching agent.

v. It uses high-quality electronic grade as an oxidizing and cleaning agent in the semiconductors manufacturing process.

vi. It is used as a bleach in laundry work.

vii. In the food processing industry, it is used as the most common bleaching agent.

viii. Hydrogen peroxide is used in gold and uranium production processes in concentrates preparation and ore leaching.

ix. The maximum amount of hydrogen peroxide is used for pulp- and paper-bleaching.

x. It is used in polymerizations, as a flour-bleaching agent.

xi. It is used in certain waste-water treatment processes to remove organic impurities.

xii. It is used for the sterilization of various surfaces, including surgical tools.

xiii. It is used as an environmentally safe alternative to chlorine-based bleaches.

xiv. It is also used for tooth whitening and may be found in most whitening toothpaste.

xv. It can be used either as a monopropellant or as the oxidizer component of a bipropellant rocket.

xvi. It is used in aquaculture to control mortality caused by various germs.