Calcium hypochlorite

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Description

A white, crystalline solid. Calcium hypochlorite is a strong oxidizing bleach. It has been used in weak concentrations (0.5%) to bleach textiles and Paper although it may leave traces or residual chloride. It is also used as a Bactericide, Fungicide, and Disinfectant.

Chemical structure

Calcium hypochlorite.jpg

Synonyms and Related Terms

calcium hypochloride; bleaching powder; chloride of lime; calcium oxychloride; calcium salt of hypochlorous acid; Losantin; chlorinated lime

Risks

  • Toxic chlorine gas may form when mixed with acids or ammonia.
  • Fire risk in contact with organic materials.
  • Severely corrosive to skin tissue on contact, inhalation, or ingestion.
  • The presence of trace heavy metals or their salts can accelerate oxidation.
  • Flinn Scientific: SDS

Physical and Chemical Properties

Decomposes in water and ethanol.

Composition Ca(OCl)2
CAS 7778-54-3
Density 2.35 g/ml
Molecular Weight mol. wt. = 142.98

Resources and Citations

  • Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, Douglas M. Considine (ed.), Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 1976
  • Thomas Gregory, The Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Reinhold Publishing, New York, 3rd ed., 1942
  • Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993
  • Pam Hatchfield, Pollutants in the Museum Environment, Archetype Press, London, 2002
  • Book and Paper Group, Paper Conservation Catalog, AIC, 1984, 1989
  • Hermann Kuhn, Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities, Butterworths, London, 1986
  • G.S.Brady, Materials Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York, 1971
  • Matt Roberts, Don Etherington, Bookbinding and the Conservation of Books: a Dictionary of Descriptive Terminology, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1982
  • The Merck Index, Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983 Comment: entry 1648