Sodium percarbonate

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Sodium percarbonate (or sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate) is an addition compound of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide. It is a white crystalline water-soluble chemical compound. When dissolved into water, its releases H₂O₂ and soda ash (sodium carbonate):

2 Na₂CO₃·3H₂O₂ → 2 Na₂CO₃ + 3 H₂O₂

The pH of the resulting solution is typically alkaline, which activates the H₂O₂ for bleaching. The dry powder contains about 30% w/w H₂O₂.

Sodium percarbonate is an ingredient in a number of home and laundry cleaning products. It is the primary ingredient in OxiClean products and a component of Cillit Bang crystals. It offers many of the same functional benefits as liquid hydrogen peroxide. It dissolves into water rapidly to release oxygen and provides powerful cleaning, bleaching, stain removal and deodorizing capabilities. Besides, sodium carbonate decomposed from sodium percarbonate is able to increase the pH value in washing water to knock down the activities of calcium ion and magnesium ion, thus softening the water. Another benefit offered by sodium carbonate by raising the pH value is to reduce the negative charges of dirt and fibre resulting in the strengthening repellency between dirt and fibre, which leads to the improvement of bleaching and stain removing effects.

Compared with chlorine bleaching chemicals that leave contaminating residues in the environment, sodium percarbonate is an environmentally friendly chemical which decomposes into oxygen, water and natural soda ash when subjected to moisture.^[1]

Sodium percarbonate is increasingly being the substitute for sodium perborate in detergent formulations due to its lower dissolving temperature in water.

Detergent or bleach compositions formulated with sodium percarbonate have a strong stain removal capability. It is very effective as a laundry presoak for heavily stained articles. It is color safe. It brightens colors and prevents fabric from becoming yellowed or darkened. Sodium percarbonate is effective as a disinfectant on both bacteria and viruses.

For its environmental advantages, sodium percarbonate is a good oxygen release chemical for agricultural and aquicultural applications.