Barium Chromate (Barium Chromium Oxide) (BaCrO4)-Powder

Characteristic

Barium chromate, named barium tetraoxochromate(VI) by the IUPAC, is a yellow sand like powder with the formula BaCrO₄.

Chemical formula：BaCrO₄

Molar mass：253.37 g/mol

Appearance：yellow powder

Density：4.498 g/cm³

Melting point：210 °C (410 °F; 483 K) (decomposes)

Solubility in water：0.2775 mg/100 mL (20 °C)

Solubility：soluble in strong acids

Application

Barium chromate has been found to be useful in many capacities. The compound is often used as a carrier for the chromium ions. One such case is the use of barium chromate as a sulfate scavenger in chromium electroplating baths. Over time the chromium concentration of the bath will decrease until the bath is no longer functional. Adding barium chromate enhances the life of the bath by adding to the chromic acid concentration.

Barium chromate is an oxidizing agent, making it useful as a burn rate modifier in pyrotechnic compositions. It is especially useful in delay compositions such as delay fuses.

Barium chromate is used as a corrosion inhibitive pigment when zinc-alloy electroplating surfaces.

When mixed with solid fumaric acid, barium chromate can be used in the removal of impurities and residual moisture from organic dry-cleaning solvents or from petroleum fuels.

Barium chromate is also used in the composition of a catalyst for alkane dehydrogenation.

Barium has also been used to color paints. The pigment known as lemon yellow often contained barium chromate mixed with lead sulfate. Due to its moderate tinting strength lemon yellow was not employed very frequently in oil painting. Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Claude Monet are known to have painted with lemon yellow.