SWID was doing some light thinking about it, and realized the real problem would be capturing your hot, gaseous P2O5. A high boiling aprotic organic solvent, say xylene, would have to be used. Otherwise, one might simply set up in a similiar fashion as to produce P4, but simply omitting the carbon dust from the mixture. Except that some time and thought should probably be given to the apparatus itself, to ensure effecient condensation and minimize hazards such as sudden bursts of gas as well as suck back. Something to think about, kind of like producing sodium metal and hydrogen peroxide from grocery store sodium bicarbonate.
EDIT: Some more food for thought.
2NaHCO3 ------100C-------> Na2CO3 + CO2 + H2O
Na2CO3 --- >400C---> Na2O + CO2
2Na2O ---- >400C---> 2Na + Na2O2
Na2O2 + H2O ----dilute HCl*---> H2O2 + ?
SWID hasn't done the research yet to find out the mechanism (or even the balanced equation
) behind the formation of hydrogen peroxide with water and an alkali metal peroxide. Can someone clairfy?
EDIT2: Oh, the *=any mineral acid will do, according the the MERCK 12th ed., under the entry sodium peroxide. Also, how would one go about seperating the molten sodium metal from the sodium peroxide solid?