Barium chloride

Barium chloride
General
Molecular formula	BaCl2
Molar mass	208.25 g/mol
Appearance	white solid
CAS number	[10361-37-2]
Properties
Density and phase	3.856 g/cm3, solid
Solubility in water	37.5 g/100 ml (26 °C)
Solubility in methanol	1.7 g/100g
Solubility in ethanol	silghtly soluble
Melting point	963 °C
Boiling point	1560 °C
Structure
Coordination geometry	?
Crystal structure	monoclinic
Thermodynamic data
Std enthalpy of formation ΔfHo298	−858.56 kJ/mol
Standard molar entropy So298	123.70 J·K−1·mol−1
Hazards
MSDS	External MSDS
EU classification	Toxic (T)
R-phrases	R20, R25
S-phrases	S1/2, S45
Flash point	non-flammable
Supplementary data page
Structure and properties	n, εr, etc.
Thermodynamic data	Phase behaviour Solid, liquid, gas
Spectral data	UV, IR, NMR, MS
Related compounds
Other anions	Barium fluoride Barium bromide Barium iodide
Other cations	Calcium chloride Strontium chloride
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Barium chloride (BaCl₂) is a salt of barium and chlorine. It is ionic and water-soluble. It is toxic like other barium salts. It imparts a yellow-green coloration to a flame.

Chemical properties

Since barium chloride is soluble in water, it can react with sulfate ion to produce a thick white precipitate of barium sulfate.

BaCl₂(aq) + SO₄^2-(aq) → BaSO₄(s) + 2 Cl^-(aq)

Barium chloride behaves as a simple salt, and it is completely neutral in solution.

Preparation

Barium chloride may be prepared from barium hydroxide or barium carbonate (found naturally as witherite) reacting with hydrochloric acid. On an industrial scale, it can be prepared via a two step process from barite (barium sulfate)^[4]:

BaSO₄ + 4 C → BaS + 4 CO (done with heat)

BaS + CaCl₂ → BaCl₂ + CaS (done by fusion of the mixture)

The BaCl₂ can then be leached out from the mixture with water.

Uses

As a cheap, soluble salt of barium, barium chloride finds wide application in the laboratory. Most commonly it is used as a test for sulfate ion (see chemical properties above). It can be used to prepare other insoluble salts such as the oxalate by precipitation:

BaCl₂(aq) + Na₂C₂O₄(aq) → Ba₂C₂O₄ (s) + 2 NaCl(aq)

Precautions

Highly toxic- 0.8-0.9g is fatal.

Suppliers/Manufacturers

• Fisher
• VWR
• Strem
• Alfa
• Aldrich

References

1. N. N. Greenwood, A. Earnshaw, Chemistry of the Elements, Pergamon Press, Oxford, UK, 1984.
2. Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 71st edition, CRC Press, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1990.
3. The Merck Index, 7th edition, Merck & Co., Rahway, New Jersey, 1960.
4. H. Nechamkin, The Chemistry of the Element, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1968.

External links

• International Chemical Safety Card 0614 (anhydrous)
• International Chemical Safety Card 0615 (dihydrate)
• NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
• European Chemicals Bureau