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Sodium permanganate

physical science Maturity 5-7 Next article →

Sodium permanganate is a special type of salt. Its chemical formula is NaMnO4. It belongs to a group of things called inorganic compounds. This salt is very close to potassium permanganate. Many people use the potassium version instead of this one. This is because sodium permanganate is more expensive to make.

This salt works in a very interesting way. It is highly soluble, which means it dissolves easily. It can dissolve 15 times better than potassium permanganate. When you put it in water, the liquid turns deep purple. If you evaporate the water, you get shiny crystals. These are called monohydrate crystals. They look purple-black and glistening.

Making this salt is a tricky job. You cannot make it the same way as the potassium kind. This is because a needed middle step does not work. Scientists must use different paths to create it. One way is to turn potassium permanganate into this salt. Another way uses manganese dioxide and sodium hypochlorite. You also need sodium hydroxide for that reaction.

There are many places where this salt is used. It helps clean water by fixing bad tastes and smells. It can also control zebra mussels in the water. In the past, it helped the V-2 rocket fly. It worked with hydrogen peroxide to run a steam turbopump. It is also used to clean soil and groundwater. This process is called in situ chemical oxidation, or ISCO.

This salt is also helpful for small machines. It can act as an etchant for printed circuitry. It can also help remove debris from drilled holes. This salt is hygroscopic, which is a big word. It means the salt soaks up water from the air. This makes it harder to use in some science labs. It is still a very useful tool for many jobs.

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