Sodium chlorate

Sodium chlorate is an inorganic ionic compound, NaClO₃, composed of sodium ions and chlorate ions. It is a strong oxidizing agent and dissolves readily in water.

Chlorate: Chlorate is the polyatomic ion ClO₃⁻, in which chlorine is bonded to three oxygen atoms. The chlorate ion is the oxidizing part of sodium chlorate.
Chlorate process: The chlorate process produces sodium chlorate by electrolysis of concentrated sodium chloride solution. It is the principal industrial route for making sodium chlorate.
Sodium ion: A sodium ion is a positively charged sodium atom, Na⁺, formed by loss of one electron. Each formula unit pairs one sodium ion with one chlorate ion.
Oxidizer: An oxidizer is a substance that can cause or intensify combustion by supplying or enabling oxidation. Sodium chlorate can intensify fires even though it is not itself a fuel.
Electrochemical industry: The electrochemical industry uses electrical energy to manufacture chemicals through electrode reactions. Sodium chlorate production became a large-scale application of industrial electrochemistry.
Oxidizing agent: An oxidizing agent accepts electrons from another substance and is itself reduced. This describes sodium chlorate’s central chemical behavior.
Electrolysis: Electrolysis uses electric current to drive a chemical reaction that would not occur spontaneously. Industrial sodium chlorate production converts brine through electrochemical reactions.
Ionic compound: An ionic compound is an electrically neutral substance composed of oppositely charged ions. Sodium chlorate’s crystal consists of sodium and chlorate ions.
Combustion: Combustion is a rapid exothermic reaction, usually between a fuel and an oxidant. Contact with combustible material can make sodium chlorate mixtures ignite violently.
Brine: Brine is water containing a high concentration of dissolved salts, especially sodium chloride. Concentrated brine supplies the chloride used in chlorate manufacture.

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