Strontium carbonate

Strontium carbonate (SrCO₃) is the carbonate salt of strontium that has the appearance of a white or grey powder. It occurs in nature as the mineral strontianite.

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Chemical properties

Strontium carbonate is a white, odorless, tasteless powder. It's chemical makeup is: C 8.14% O 32.51% Sr 59.35%. Being a carbonate, it is a weak base and therefore is reactive with acids. It is otherwise stable and safe to work with. It is practically insoluble in water (1 part in 100,000). The solubility is increased significantly if the water is saturated with CO2, to 1 part in 1,000. It is soluble in dilute acids.

Preparation

Other than the natural occurrence as a mineral, strontium carbonate is prepared synthetically in one of two manners. First of which is from naturally occurring celestine also known as strontium sulfate (SrSO₄) or by using soluble strontium salts by the reaction in solution with a soluble carbonate salt (usually sodium or ammonium carbonates). For example if sodium carbonate was used in solution with Strontium nitrate.

	Sr(NO3)2 (aq) + Na2CO3 (aq) → SrCO3 (s) + 2 NaNO3 (aq)

Uses

  The most common use is as an inexpensive colorant in fireworks. Strontium and its salts emit a brilliant red color in flame. Unlike other strontium salts, the carbonate salt is generally preferred because of its cost and the fact that it is not hygroscopic. Its ability to neutralize acid is also very helpful in pyrotechnics. Another similar application is in road flares.

Strontium carbonate is used for electronic applications. It is used for manufacturing CTV to absorb electrons resulting from the cathode.

It it used in the preparation of iridescent glass, luminous paints, strontium oxide or strontium salts and in refining sugar.

It is also used in the manufacturing of strontium ferrites for permanent magnets which are used in loud speakers and door magnets.

Because of its status as a weak Lewis base, strontium carbonate can be used to produce many different strontium compounds by simple use of the corresponding acid.

See also

• Strontium