YOUCHEMISTRY: Violent Hydrogen peroxide 85% decomposition

19 Apr 2011

Violent Hydrogen peroxide 85% decomposition


The decomposition of hydrogen peroxide consists formally in a redox reaction between two molecules of H2O2, one acting as a reducing agent and the other as oxidant. This is the overall reaction named disproportionation:
2 H2O2 = 2 H2O + O2(gas)
This decomposition is easier when concentrated H2O2 is used and can be catalysed by bases, light (hydrogen peroxide bottles are not transparent), or metals as it is shown on this video. In other words hydrogen peroxide can be considered as a reservoir of oxygen and this explains its oxidising properties.

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