Introduction
Cobalt oxalate is an inorganic compound with formula CoC2O4. It is a coordination complex consisting of cobalt cations and oxalate anions. This article provides an in-depth look at cobalt oxalate including its properties, uses, and importance in various industries.
Chemical Properties
Cobalt oxalate exists in two crystal forms - the monohydrate form CoC2O4.H2O and the dihydrate form CoC2O4.2H2O. The monohydrate form has a dark blue color and crystallizes in the orthorhombic system. The dihydrate form is pink colored and crystallizes in the monoclinic system. Both forms are oxidation sensitive turning gray or black on exposure to air. Cobalt oxalate is soluble in water and its solution is acidified by carbon dioxide in air. On heating, it decomposes to cobalt oxide releasing carbon dioxide and water.
Uses and Applications
Cobalt oxalate finds widespread application due to the valuable properties of cobalt and oxalate compounds. Some major uses are:
- Pigments and Dyes: Cobalt oxalate is used to produce vibrant blue, green and violet pigments. These pigments are utilized in ceramics, paints and glazes.
- Catalyst: Finely divided cobalt oxalate is employed as a catalyst in organic reactions like oxidation, hydrogenation and carbonylation due to the oxidizing nature of cobalt.
- batteries: Due to its decomposition properties, cobalt oxalate is a common precursor used in manufacturing positive electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries. The oxalate decomposes forming cobalt oxide during cell assembly.
- Medicine: Cobalt complex salts like Cobalt Oxalate exhibit bacteriostatic and fungistatic properties. They find applications as disinfectants, antiseptics and preservatives in medicinal products.
- Analysis: In analytical chemistry, cobalt oxalate is used as a complexing agent in volumetric and gravimetric analysis methods for estimation of oxalate and cobalt contents.
Industrial Manufacturing
On an industrial scale, cobalt oxalate is predominantly manufactured through two routes - precipitation process and sol-gel process. In the precipitation process, solutions of cobalt salt (usually cobalt chloride) and oxalic acid are mixed with continuous stirring leading to precipitation of cobalt oxalate. The sol-gel process involves hydrolysis of cobalt alkoxide precursor in a non-aqueous solvent followed by polycondensation in presence of oxalate ions to form a gel converting to cobalt oxalate on drying. Some key aspects of industrial manufacturing are:
- Strict control of pH is required for uniform precipitation in defined crystal forms.
- Precipitates are filtered, washed and dried before use as pigments or further processing.
- Sol-gel made materials have improved properties like purity, homogeneity and dispersion at nano level.
- Scale up requires specialized reactors, pumping systems and filtration equipment to handle large volumes.
- Production units adopt safety standards to prevent exposure to toxic cobalt compounds.
Health and Environmental Impacts
Like other cobalt compounds, cobalt oxalate has the potential to impact human health as well as the environment if adequate precautions are not taken during handling and disposal:
- It may cause skin, eye and respiratory irritation upon contact in powder form. Proper PPE is mandatory.
- Inhalation or ingestion of dust can have systemic toxic effects as cobalt is carcinogenic and can damage liver, kidneys and heart.
- Waste streams from manufacturing contain toxic cobalt ions. Neutralization, precipitation and secure landfilling is necessary for treatment.
- Effluents from such units need proper treatment to remove heavy metals before discharge.
- Long term effects of cobalt on ecological systems are not well understood but known to harm aquatic life even at low concentrations.
In summary, cobalt oxalate is an important metal-organic coordination compound with myriad uses arising from the unique attributes of cobalt and oxalate ions. While useful in many sectors, its toxicity necessitates careful handling according to safety protocols to avoid risks to human and environmental health. Further research on cobalt biogeochemistry can provide insights for more sustainable management of this critical chemical.
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Download FREE Sample of this Report @ https://www.24chemicalresearch.com/download-sample/62541/global-chemical-synthesis-catalyst-2021-387Segment by Type, the Chemical Synthesis Catalyst market is segmented into:Supported Metal CatalystZeolite CatalystOtherSegment by Application:Chemical Synthesis CatalystPolyolefinsCatalytic OxidationHydrogenation CatalystsOthersGlobal Chemical Synthesis Catalyst Market: Regional AnalysisThe Chemical Synthesis Catalyst market is analysed and market size information is provided by regions (countries).
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It also includes market size and forecast by Type and by Application segment in terms of sales and revenue for the period 2015-2026.The key regions covered in the Chemical Synthesis Catalyst market report are:North AmericaU.S.CanadaEuropeGermanyFranceU.K.ItalyRussiaAsia-PacificChinaJapanSouth KoreaIndiaAustraliaTaiwanIndonesiaThailandMalaysiaPhilippinesVietnamLatin AmericaMexicoBrazilArgentinaMiddle East & AfricaTurkeySaudi ArabiaU.A.EGlobal Chemical Synthesis Catalyst Market: Competitive AnalysisThis section of the report identifies various key manufacturers of the market.
