Barium chloride salt is a substance belonging to the group of binary inorganic compounds. The chemical formula of this salt is BaCl2, in the literature the name barium chloride is often used. Under normal conditions, barium chloride has the following physicochemical properties. It represents crystals of a rhombic form, colorless in appearance, which can partially dissolve in alcohol solutions and do not dissolve in ethers at all. When combined with water, a compound of barium chloride dihydrate is formed, which in appearance is a single crystal with no color. Barium chloride is non-combustible, resistant to detonation and fire, very toxic.
When handling this substance, strict safety precautions should be observed. If barium chloride enters the human body or in contact with this substance, serious brain diseases are initiated, irreversible changes in the liver may occur, and spleen sclerosis is possible. If barium chloride dust enters the body, the lungs and bronchi are affected. And if a substance enters the gastrointestinal tract, serious poisoning can occur, leading to paralysis and even loss of vision.
In the event that a powder or crystals of a substance nevertheless spilled, immediate precautions must be taken that can neutralize or minimize the occurrence of serious consequences. The spillage site should be immediately isolated, for this you can use ordinary sand. In no case should water be allowed to enter this substance, this can further aggravate the situation.
Despite such a high toxicity of the compound, the use of barium chloride takes place in a wide variety of areas of human activity.
In educational practice, a substance is used to recognize acids and other substances. So, for example, sulfuric acid and barium chloride in the interaction give a white precipitate, which is barium sulfate, the formation of which concludes that we initially used sulfuric acid.
Another example can be given. So, if you mix ammonium sulfate and barium chloride in a solution, you can also see the precipitation of a white color, which indicates that sulfate is also obtained.
The use of technical barium chloride is common in many sectors of the chemical industry. For example, the use of this compound allows one to obtain various preparations and pigments, including those common such as cassette greens and barite yellow pigment. In addition, barium chloride is used to obtain other barium salts.
Barium chloride is also used in the electrical industry as an electrolytic additive that provides ultrapure aluminum and magnesium.
In metalworking, this substance is indispensable for hardening the working surfaces of metal-cutting machines and assemblies. Barium chloride is also used as an additive that improves the processes of melt of alkaline earth metals. The processes associated with the heat treatment and pressing of metals, cyanidation of various parts of metal products and assemblies are not without the compound in question.
In powder form, barium chloride acts as one of the components of ceramics, and in the leather industry finds its application in the operations of lightening and weighting of the skin.
Agricultural production uses barium chloride as a means to control the meadow moth, beetroot weevil and some other pests.