2HCHO + 2 NaOH + H2O2 ----> 2HCOONa + 2 H2O + H2
HCHO will be oxidized to formate / formic acid. The reaction will take 10 - 180 minutes depending on reaction temperature, pH, and H2O2 charge. With moderate temperatures (< 40 deg C) and a pH of 10 - 11, the H2O2 demand should be about 0.8 parts H2O2 per part HCHO.
It is possible to reduce the H2O2 demand by increasing the NaOH charge (to 2 - 3 g/L) and elevating the temperature (to 60 - 80 deg C) to affect aldol condensation. In this case, the H2O2 demand should be about 0.3 parts H2O2 per part HCHO.
It is also noted that hydrogen gas will be produced by the alkaline reaction. However, the risk can be easily managed if the flow is small and HCHO concentrations are low - i.e., for a 3,500 mg/L HCHO stream, the level of hydrogen that would be generated would be 117 mg/L. Nonetheless, the treatment should be done in an open vessel with reasonable headspace turnover - since the solubility of H2 in water is about 1.5 mg/L, virtually all the H2 will be evolved.
I am finding this very interesting, and would like to know if someone could use this reference to create a writeup in layman's terms. On hand is paraformaldehyde, 30% H2O2, and sodium hydroxide, but need amounts of each. Thanks for any input!
Source (http://www.h2o2.com/applications/industrialwastewater/hcho.htm)
(http://www.h2o2.com/applications/industrialwastewater/hcho.htm)
A theory is a tool - not a creed. -J. J. Thomson
Okay after taking a couple tutorials on molarities, let me see if this looks alright:
60.052g paraformaldehyde
79.992g sodium hydroxide
34.014g hydrogen peroxide (what would this be in 30% solution?)
to yield:
136.012g sodium formate
36.03g water
2.016g hydrogen which will be evolved
Yeah?
I also need help in a safe method to produce the formic acid from sodium formate via sulfuric acid.
https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/formic.acid.html (https://www.thevespiary.org/rhodium/Rhodium/chemistry/formic.acid.html)
An aqueous solution of formic acid is obtained by distilling the sodium salt with dilute sulphuric acid: (what dilution?)
2 HCO2Na + H2SO4 = 2 HCO2H + Na2SO4
Anhydrous formic acid is obtained from the aqueous solution (70-77%) by the addition of butyl formate followed by distillation. The first fraction is an azeotrope of ester and water, and then the excess of ester is removed from the formic acid by fractionation.
Do not mix concentrated sulfuric acid with sodium formate or anhydrous formic acid.
The formic acid will be oxidized to the very toxic gas carbon monoxide by sulfuric acid!
If A=1 and B=2, then A+B=3 right?
What about the physical arrangement of the atoms within the solution (i.e. H2O2 to H2O molecular attractions)...
PB
*Guess some empircal evidence could help my hypothesis...
concoct: 1) to prepare by combining raw materials; 2) to devise or fabricate