Barium chloride is a white color crystalline solid that is a highly water-soluble inorganic compound. It is an important industrial chemical used for various purposes in the industry. It is used industrially in the manufacture of barium salts, pigments, photographic paper, etc.
Barium chloride is prepared by reacting with hydrochloric acid, barium carbonate, or barium sulfide. The reaction is as follows:
BaCO3 + 2HCl → BaCl2 + CO2 + H2O
BaS + 2HCl → BaCl2 + H2S
When produced, barium chloride is usually purified by recrystallization.
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It is important to note that it is a toxic substance and can be harmful if ingested. It must be handled with care, and proper safety precautions must be taken when working with it.
Barium Chloride Formula
The chemical formula for barium chloride is BaCl2. Its structure is ionic, consisting of one positively charged barium ion (Ba2+) and two negatively charged chlorine ions (Cl-).
In the solid state, barium chloride forms a crystalline lattice structure. Each Ba2+ ion is surrounded by eight Cl- ions, and each Cl- ion is surrounded by eight Ba2+ ions, forming a three-dimensional network of ions.
Barium Chloride + Aluminium Sulphate
When barium chloride (BaCl2) is reacted with aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3), a double displacement reaction occurs, resulting in the formation of barium sulfate (BaSO4) and aluminum chloride (AlCl3).
The balanced chemical equation for the barium chloride and aluminum sulfate reaction:
3BaCl2 + Al2(SO4)3 → 2AlCl3 + 3BaSO4
In this reaction, Ba2+ ions from BaCl2 combine with SO42- ions from Al2(SO4)3 to form BaSO4, an insoluble white precipitate. At the same time, Al3+ ions from Al2(SO4)3 combine with Cl- ions from BaCl2 to form AlCl3, a soluble salt.
Barium chloride + Sodium sulfate
When sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) is mixed with barium chloride (BaCl2), a double displacement reaction occurs, forming barium sulfate (BaSO4) and sodium chloride (NaCl),
BaCl2 + Na2SO4 → BaSO4 + 2NaCl
Barium sulfate is an insoluble white solid that will precipitate out of the solution. This reaction is often used to test for sulfate ions in a solution.
Barium Chloride Molar Mass
The molar mass of barium chloride (BaCl2) is calculated by adding the atomic masses of its constituent elements.
Atomic mass of Barium (Ba)Â = 137.33 g/mol
The atomic mass of Chlorine (Cl)Â = 35.45 g/mol
Molar mass of BaCl2 = (1 × Ba atomic mass) + (2 × Cl atomic mass)
= (1 × 137.33 ) + (2 × 35.45 )
= 137.33 + 70.90Â
= 208.23 g/mol
Properties of Barium ChlorideÂ
1. Solubility: It is highly soluble at room temperature with a solubility of 31.2 g/100 mL in water.
2. Appearance: It is a white crystalline solid
2. Density: 3.856 g/cm3
4. Melting point: 963 °C
5. Boiling point: 1560 °C
6. It is hygroscopic and can absorb moisture from the air.
