What is Barium metal?

Barium is an alkaline earth metal element, the sixth periodic element of group IIA in the periodic table, and the active element in the alkaline earth metal.

1、 Content distribution
Barium, like other alkaline earth metals, is distributed everywhere on the earth: the content in the upper crust is 0.026%, while the average value in the crust is 0.022%. Barium mainly exists in the form of barite, sulfate or carbonate.

The main minerals of barium in nature are barite (BaSO4) and witherite (BaCO3). Barite deposits are widely distributed, with large deposits in Hunan, Guangxi, Shandong and other places in China.

2、 Application field
1. Industrial use
It is used for making barium salts, alloys, fireworks, nuclear reactors, etc. It is also an excellent deoxidizer for refining copper.
It is widely used in alloys, such as lead, calcium, magnesium, sodium, lithium, aluminum and nickel.

Barium metal can be used as degassing agent for removing trace gases in vacuum tubes and picture tubes, and degassing agent for refining metals.

Barium nitrate mixed with potassium chlorate, magnesium powder and rosin can be used to make signal bombs and fireworks.

Soluble barium compounds are often used as pesticides, such as barium chloride, to control a variety of plant pests.

It can also be used for refining brine and boiler water for electrolytic caustic soda production.

It is also used to prepare pigments. Textile and leather industries are used as mordant and rayon matting agent.

2. Medical use
Barium sulfate is an auxiliary drug for X-ray examination. A white powder with no smell and smell, which can provide positive contrast in the body during X-ray examination. Medical barium sulfate is not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and has no allergic reaction. It does not contain soluble barium compounds such as barium chloride, barium sulfide and barium carbonate. It is mainly used for gastrointestinal radiography and occasionally for other purposes.

3、 Preparation method

In industry, the preparation of barium metal is divided into two steps: the preparation of barium oxide and the metal thermal reduction (aluminothermic reduction).

At 1000~1200 ℃, these two reactions can only produce a small amount of barium. Therefore, the vacuum pump must be used to continuously transfer barium vapor from the reaction zone to the condensation zone so that the reaction can continue to proceed to the right. The residue after reaction is toxic and can only be discarded after treatment.

4、
Safety measures

1. Health hazards

Barium is not an essential element for humans, but a toxic element. Eating soluble barium compounds will cause barium poisoning. Assuming that the average weight of an adult is 70kg, the total amount of barium in his body is about 16mg. After taking barium salt by mistake, it will be dissolved by water and stomach acid, which has led to many poisoning incidents and some deaths.

Symptoms of acute barium salt poisoning: barium salt poisoning is mainly manifested as gastrointestinal irritation and hypokalemia syndrome, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, quadriplegia, myocardial involvement, respiratory muscle paralysis, etc. Such patients are easily misdiagnosed because they have gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc., and are easily misdiagnosed as food poisoning in the case of collective disease, and acute gastroenteritis in the case of single disease.

2. Hazard prevention

Leakage emergency treatment

Isolate the contaminated area and restrict access. Cut off the ignition source. It is recommended that emergency treatment personnel wear self-priming filter dust mask and fire protection clothing. Do not contact the leakage directly. Small amount of leakage: avoid raising dust and collect it in a dry, clean and covered container with a clean shovel. Transfer recycling. Large amount of leakage: cover with plastic cloth and canvas to reduce flying. Use non-sparking tools to transfer and recycle.

3. Protective measures

Respiratory system protection: Generally, no special protection is required, but it is recommended to wear a self-priming filter dust mask under special circumstances.
Eye protection: wear chemical safety goggles.
Body protection: wear chemical protective clothing.
Hand protection: wear rubber gloves.
Others: Smoking is prohibited at the work site. Pay attention to personal hygiene.

5、 Storage and transportation
Store in a cool and ventilated warehouse. Keep away from kindling and heat sources. The relative humidity is kept below 75%. The package shall be sealed and shall not be in contact with air. It should be stored separately from oxidants, acids, alkalis, etc., and should not be mixed. Explosion-proof lighting and ventilation facilities shall be adopted. It is forbidden to use mechanical equipment and tools that are easy to produce sparks. The storage area shall be equipped with appropriate materials to contain the leakage.


Post time: Mar-13-2023