Sodium chlorate and sodium hypochlorite are common chemical raw materials, which are widely used. The names are one word apart, but the difference is huge, and in terms of price, sodium chlorate is more expensive than sodium hypochlorite.
Then there are some chemical differences. Sodium hypochlorite can oxidize iodide to I2 at any pH and sodium chlorate can only oxidize iodide at acidic conditions. You can take two solutions, add them directly to the potassium iodide solution, and the one that turns brown is sodium hypochlorite and the one that doesn’t change is sodium chlorate. Of course, the root of hypochlorite hydrolyzes, resulting in sodium hypochlorite being strongly alkaline; And chlorate root does not hydrolyze, so sodium chlorate solution is neutral, direct measurement of pH can also be identified.
Chemical formula difference: sodium chlorate chemical formula is NaClO3, relative molecular weight 106.44. Usually white or yellowish isoaxial crystals. Salty and cool, soluble in water, slightly soluble in ethanol. In acidic solution has a strong oxidation, more than 300℃ decomposition of oxygen. Sodium chlorate is unstable. When mixed with phosphorus, sulfur and organic matter is impacted, it is easy to burn and explode, and easy to absorb moisture and agglomerate. It is mainly used to produce chlorine dioxide, sodium chlorite, perchlorate and other chlorate in industry .
Sodium hypochlorite is the most common “chlorine” bleaching agent used in home washing. Other similar bleaches are potassium hypochlorite, lithium hypochlorite or calcium hypochlorite, sodium hypobromate or sodium hypoiodate, chlorine-containing oxide solutions, chlorinated sodium trichosphate, sodium trichloroisocyanurate or potassium, but are generally not used in home washing. Bleach is a variant that destroys the hair color system or produces a chromophore.
Sodium chlorate can be used as an oxidant or mordant in printing and dyeing industry. Inorganic industry as an oxidant, can also be used in the manufacture of sodium chlorite and perchlorate. Pharmaceutical industry used in the manufacture of pharmaceutical zinc oxide, sodium disulfide succinate. The pigment industry is used to manufacture advanced zinc oxide and Hualan. Used in agriculture as a herbicide. In addition, also used for papermaking, tanning leather. Ore treatment, seawater bromine extraction and manufacturing printing ink, explosives, etc.
Sodium hypochlorite is mainly used for disinfection in sewage treatment, but for some reason, there is more chlorine in the water, which is often called a carcinogen. When the water boils, you open the lid and keep it boiling for two or three minutes in order to let the remaining chlorine evaporate. Sodium hypochlorite in addition to bactericidal effect, there is also the removal of chroma, but for the mineral chroma brought by it cannot be removed, can only remove part of the organic chroma brought by the removal. In general, it is not recommended to use sodium hypochlorite in wastewater treatment, because the residual sodium hypochlorite will bring harm to the environment, as well as the toxicity to the biochemical system, and will affect the detection of COD, so that the COD data determined by potassium dichromate method is high due to the interference of chloride ions.
In fact, both sodium chlorate and sodium hypochlorite can be used in water treatment. In comparison, sodium hypochlorite has some disadvantages when used in water treatment, while sodium chlorate is more expensive, and both of them have their own advantages.
– Sodium chlorate and sodium hypochlorite are two different chemical compounds with distinct properties and uses.
– Sodium chlorate is more expensive than sodium hypochlorite in terms of price.
– Sodium hypochlorite can oxidize iodide to I2 at any pH, whereas sodium chlorate can only oxidize iodide under acidic conditions.
Take two solutions, one containing sodium hypochlorite and the other containing sodium chlorate.
Add these solutions directly to a potassium iodide solution.
The solution that turns brown is sodium hypochlorite, while the one that doesn’t change is sodium chlorate.
Sodium chlorate finds applications in various industries:
– In the printing and dyeing industry, it can be used as an oxidant or mordant.
– In the inorganic industry, sodium chlorate serves as an oxidant and can be used in the manufacture of sodium chlorite and perchlorate.
– The pharmaceutical industry utilizes sodium chlorate in the production of pharmaceutical zinc oxide and sodium disulfide succinate.
– The pigment industry employs sodium chlorate to manufacture advanced zinc oxide and Hualan.
– Sodium chlorate is also used as a herbicide in agriculture and finds uses in papermaking, leather tanning, ore treatment, seawater bromine extraction, and manufacturing printing ink and explosives.
The use of sodium hypochlorite
– Sodium hypochlorite is primarily used for disinfection in sewage treatment.
– However, it is not recommended for wastewater treatment due to its potential harm to the environment, toxicity to the biochemical system, and interference with the detection of COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand).
– Sodium hypochlorite can remove chroma and has bactericidal effects, but it may not effectively remove mineral chroma and only partially removes organic chroma.
Yes. In water treatment, sodium hypochlorite has some disadvantages, whereas sodium chlorate is more expensive but has its own advantages.