Sodium percarbonate or sodium carbonate peroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula 2 Na2CO3 · 3 H2O2. It is an addition compound, specifically a co-crystal, formed by sodium carbonate (“soda ash” or “washing soda”) and hydrogen peroxide (that is, a perhydrate). It is a colorless, crystalline, hygroscopic, and water-soluble solid.[4] It is sometimes abbreviated as SPC. It contains 32.5% by weight of hydrogen peroxide.[citation needed]
The product is used in some eco-friendly bleaches and other cleaning products.[4]
History
Sodium percarbonate was first prepared in 1899 by the Russian chemist Sebastian Moiseevich Tanatar (7 October 1849 – 30 November 1917).[5]
Structure
At room temperature, solid sodium percarbonate has the orthorhombic crystal structure, with the Cmca crystallographic space group. The structure changes to Pbca as the crystals are cooled below about −30 °C (−22 °F).[1]
Chemistry
Dissolved in water, sodium percarbonate yields a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, sodium cations (Na+), and carbonate (CO2−3).[4][6]
![{\displaystyle {2\,\mathrm {Na} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{2}}\mathrm {CO} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{3}}\,{\cdot }\,3\,\mathrm {H} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{2}}\mathrm {O} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{2}}{}\mathrel {\longrightarrow } {}3\,\mathrm {H} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{2}}\mathrm {O} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{2}}{}+{}4\,\mathrm {Na} {\vphantom {A}}^{+}{}+{}2\,\mathrm {CO} {\vphantom {A}}_{\smash[{t}]{3}}{\vphantom {A}}^{2-}}}](https://wikimedia.org/api/rest_v1/media/math/render/svg/68231c93dcf22ce50cea964c81ea59bb0e1de10c)
Production
Sodium percarbonate is produced industrially by crystallization of a solution of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide, with attention to the pH and concentrations.[7][1] This method is also convenient for the laboratory preparation. Alternatively, dry sodium carbonate may be treated directly with concentrated hydrogen peroxide solution.[citation needed]
World production capacity of this compound was estimated at several hundred thousand tons for 2004.[8]
Uses
As an oxidizing agent, sodium percarbonate is an ingredient in a number of home and laundry cleaning products, including non-chlorine bleach products such as Oxyper, OxiClean, Tide laundry detergent,[4] and Vanish.[6]
Many commercial products mix a percentage of sodium percarbonate with sodium carbonate. The average “Oxy” product in the supermarket contains 35–40% sodium percarbonate with about 5% active oxygen when titrated.[citation needed]
Sodium percarbonate is also used as a cleaning agent in homebrewing.[9]
Sodium percarbonate can be used in organic synthesis as a convenient source of anhydrous H2O2, in particular in solvents that cannot dissolve the carbonate but can leach the H2O2 out of it.[10] A method for generating trifluoroperacetic acid in situ for use in Baeyer–Villiger oxidations from sodium percarbonate and trifluoroacetic anhydride has been reported; it provides a convenient and cheap approach to this reagent without the need to obtain highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide.[11][12]
References
- ^ a b c Pritchard, R.G.; Islam, E. (2003). “Sodium percarbonate between 293 and 100 K”. Acta Crystallographica Section B. B59 (5): 596–605. doi:10.1107/S0108768103012291. PMID 14586079.
- ^ a b c Sigma-Aldrich Co., Sodium percarbonate.
- ^ “SDS – Sodium percarbonate”. fishersci.com. Thermo-Fisher Scientific. 26 March 2024. p. 3. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
- ^ a b c d Craig W. Jones (1999). Applications of Hydrogen Peroxide and Derivatives. Royal Society of Chemistry. ISBN 0-85404-536-8.
- ^ Tanatar, S. (1899). “Percarbonate”. Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellschaft zu Berlin (in German). 32 (2): 1544–1546. doi:10.1002/cber.18990320233.
- ^ a b “Oxygen-based bleaches“, The Royal Society of Chemistry, and Reckitt Benckiser (the manufacturers of Vanish).
- ^ Adams, J. M.; Pritchard, R. G. (1 December 1977). “The crystal structure of sodium percarbonate: an unusual layered solid”. Acta Crystallographica Section B Structural Crystallography and Crystal Chemistry. 33 (12): 3650–3653. doi:10.1107/S0567740877011790.
- ^ Jakob, H.; Leininger, S.; Lehmann, T.; Jacobi, S.; Gutewort, S. “Peroxo Compounds, Inorganic”. Ullmann’s Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a19_177.pub2. ISBN 978-3-527-30673-2.
- ^ “Sodium Percarbonate”. MoreBeer.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
- ^ McKillop, A (1995). “Sodium perborate and sodium percarbonate: Cheap, safe and versatile oxidising agents for organic synthesis”. Tetrahedron. 51 (22): 6145–6166. doi:10.1016/0040-4020(95)00304-Q.
- ^ Gang, Ho Jeong; Jeong, Hui Seon (January 1996). “New Method of Generating Trifluoroperoxy-acetic acid for the Baeyer-Villiger Reaction” (PDF). Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society. 17 (1): 5–6. doi:10.5012/bkcs.1996.17.1.5. ISSN 1229-5949.
- ^ Caster, Kenneth C.; Rao, A. Somasekar; Mohan, H. Rama; McGrath, Nicholas A.; Brichacek, Matthew (2012). “Trifluoroperacetic Acid”. Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis. e-EROS Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis. doi:10.1002/047084289X.rt254.pub2. ISBN 978-0471936237.