99.5% Sodium bromate CAS 7789-38-0

What is sodium bromate? What are its industrial applications?

1. What is sodium bromate?

Sodium bromate, also known as sodium bromate, is the sodium salt of bromic acid. It is a strong oxidizing agent widely used in hair styling and analytical oxidation. Its chemical formula is usually written as:

NaBrO3 (CAS No.: 7789-38-0, EINECS No.: 232-160-4, molecular weight approximately 150.89)

It is a colorless or white crystalline powder at room temperature, odorless, decomposes at about 381℃, has a relative density of about 3.34, is readily soluble in water (about 27.5 g/100 mL at 20℃), and insoluble in most organic solvents. The bromine in sodium bromate is in the +5 oxidation state, making it a typical highly efficient strong oxidizing agent; therefore, it must be stored strictly away from organic matter and reducing agents.

From a molecular structure perspective, sodium bromate is composed of sodium ions (Na+) and bromate ions (BrO3-), with the bromine atom in a +5 oxidation state, possessing a strong ability to capture electrons. This "strong oxidizing property" gives it a unique application logic: in the cold perm process, the reducing agent (thioglycolic acid) first breaks the disulfide bonds in the hair keratin, and sodium bromate then provides oxygen to re-oxidize the adjacent thiol groups to form disulfide bonds, thereby "setting" the curls—it is the core component of the second agent (setting agent) in cold perms; in organic synthesis, it participates in aromatic ring bromination and selective oxidation reactions as a brominating agent and oxidizing agent.

Chemically, sodium bromate is a strong oxidizing agent. When mixed with organic matter or reducing agents, it may react violently, even igniting or exploding.It decomposes on heating releasing oxygen and bromine which are irritating to skin, eyes and respiratory tract. It can be toxic, and this poses a health risk. Keep in a sealed, light-proof, moisture-proof environment separate from organic matter and reducing agents.

It is used in industrial applications such as hair perming, dyeing, synthesis and analysis. Industrial grade sodium bromate. The purity is generally above 99%. The industrial-grade products pay more attention to the following indicators than the reagent-grade products.

Main Content (Content)

Industrial grade is generally required to be 99% or higher . The content is determined by the efficiency of the oxidation reaction and the effect of the formulation .

bromide content

Bromine is a reducing impurity which reflects oxidation capacity and stability of the product. The high bromide content will reduce the oxidation effect, which is an important quality control index.

Water-insoluble matter

Low water-insoluble matter content is required to ensure clear solution and clean formulation system.

Sulfates and Chlorates

Impurities such as sulfates and chlorates affect product purity and must be controlled within standard limits.

Iron and heavy metal limits

Iron and heavy metal impurities affect product quality and must be strictly controlled when used in hair perming and daily chemical products.

What are the uses of industrial-grade sodium bromate?

Industrial-grade sodium bromate, due to the strong oxidizing properties of +5 valent bromine, is widely used in hair perming, dyeing, synthesis, and analysis:

1. Hair styling products (core application)

Sodium bromate is the core ingredient of the second agent (setting agent/neutralizing agent) in cold perm products. It achieves hair setting by re-oxidizing the reduced disulfide bonds. It can also form a dual oxidation system with hydrogen peroxide. It is a basic setting agent raw material in the hair styling and perming industry.

2. Oxidizing agents in the dye industry

Sodium bromate is used as oxidising agent for oxidation, colour development and colour fixation of sulphur dyes and vat dyes (urn dyes) in the continuous or intermittent dyeing processes. It is used for dyeing cotton fabrics and denim. It is an important oxidising agent in printing and dyeing industry.

3. Analytical chemical reagents (phenol determination)

Sodium bromate is an analytical reagent for the determination of phenolic compounds. It is also used as an oxidizing agent in redox titrations and the preparation of standard solutions, and is a basic oxidizing reagent in analytical laboratories.

4. Organic Synthesis Brominating Agents and Oxidizing Agents

Sodium bromate can serve as a brominating agent for aromatic compounds. Examples include brominated nitrobenzene, benzoic acid and benzaldehyde. It is also used as a selective oxidant in organic synthesis as well as fine chemical synthesis.

5. Gold dissolution and precious metal extraction

Sodium bromate and sodium bromide are mixed to form a bromide leaching system, which is used as a solvent for gold, in gold ore leaching, gold plating recovery, and extraction of precious metals from electronic waste.

6. Laboratory bromine generator

Sodium bromate is used as an oxidizing agent in the laboratory preparation of bromine (it reacts with bromides under acidic conditions to release bromine), and also as an oxidizing reagent in bromine chemistry experiments.

7. Other Applications

With the development of hair care and chemical technologies, the application scope of industrial-grade sodium bromate continues to expand, including in areas such as inorganic chemical product preparation and water treatment.

Summarize

Sodium bromate (CAS No. 7789-38-0, NaBrO3) is a white crystalline powder with a decomposition temperature of about 381℃. Bromine has a +5 oxidation state and is a typical strong oxidiser. It is a key part of the chemical logic of “re-oxidizing disulphide bonds” in the setting agents for cold perms, and is also widely used in dye oxidation, analysis and organic synthesis as well. In our everyday lives, it appears indirectly in cold perm products, printing and dyeing of textiles, testing and analysis services, recycling of precious metals and laboratory research. Industrial grade sodium bromate (purity over 99%) is widely used as hair perm setting agent, oxidising agent for sulphur and vat dyes, reagent for phenol determination and analysis, brominating agent for aromatic compounds, gold dissolution and precious metal extraction agent, and bromine generator in laboratories. It is an important strong oxidising agent connecting “bromine chemistry” with “hair care, printing and dyeing, metallurgy and synthesis.”