Water is essential to obtain a hydroxide: it must be combined with a basic oxide.
A hydroxide is a compound that forms when the OH- anion bonds to a radical or an element . In their structure , hydroxides have the OH- group attached to a metal .
Overview
The formation of hydroxides, which are also known as bases , occurs when a basic oxide combines with water . The dissociation of these compounds in water, meanwhile, generates the OH- anion.
If one of the hydrogen atoms in water is replaced by a metal , hydroxide is obtained. Many bases contain this type of compound.
Hydroxides, in short, are a set of compounds that are formed with a metal and one or more hydroxide anions . This differentiates them from oxides , which include oxygen .
Formulation of hydroxides
The formulation of hydroxides, which can be classified as acidic , amphoteric or basic , is developed by first indicating the metal and then the base of a hydride of the hydroxide radical, which is written in parentheses when the subscript is greater than one. To name it, the term hydroxide is used followed by the name of the metal with the corresponding indication of the valence.
Take the case of calcium hydroxide or calcium hydroxide , which can also be mentioned as slaked lime , hydrated lime or dead lime . This chemical compound , whose formula is Ca(OH)2 , is produced when calcium oxide ( quicklime ) is combined with water . Or, put another way, when calcium oxide is hydrated.
Sodium hydroxide , aluminum hydroxide , magnesium hydroxide , potassium hydroxide , and lithium hydroxide are other hydroxides with different uses and applications .
sodium hydroxide
Also known as sodium hydroxide or caustic soda , among other names, sodium hydroxide is used industrially, especially as a base for manufacturing detergents, fabrics and paper. It also plays a role in the creation of drilling mud, in the oil field. In the home, on the other hand, it is used to unclog pipes and make soap, for example.
aluminum hydroxide
Under normal conditions, it is the most stable of the forms of aluminum. One of its mineral forms is called gibbsite , which they discovered in the United States. It is closely related to aluminum oxide, which is also called alumina and is one of the main components of glazes and clays. Among its various applications we can mention that it is used as an adjuvant, phosphate binder and antacid in vaccines and as an extinguishing agent for plastics.
We find potassium hydroxide in liquid soaps.
magnesium hydroxide
It is an inorganic compound, that is, it is formed by various elements of which water is usually abundant, in addition to carbon not usually being the most important. It is achieved by mixing water with magnesium flakes and in some isolated cases it is used as an antacid or as a flavoring. Its history is as peculiar as it is interesting, because it emerged in 1829 from the doctor James Murray as part of a treatment for the Marquis of Anglesey , whose success was resounding. It is worth mentioning that its original name was milk of magnesia .
potassium hydroxide
It is an inorganic compound that, like sodium hydroxide , is a strong base widely used, both in the industrial and commercial fields; for example, in the production of liquid and mild soaps . In almost all cases, its corrosiveness and reactivity with acids are used. By 2005, it is estimated that nearly 800,000 tons of this hydroxide were produced. It has the ability to absorb moisture from its environment, which is called hygroscopicity .