Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a colourless, weak acid which is miscible with water. It is pale blue in its pure form, although since it’s an unstable compound and decomposes when exposed to heat, hydrogen peroxide is commonly kept in a slightly acidic solution containing a stabiliser. But what is the history of hydrogen peroxide? When Was Hydrogen Peroxide Discovered? The eloquently [...]
Before we explore how hydrogen peroxide is made, let’s look at what it is. Hydrogen peroxide (chemical symbol H2O2 – it’s basically water with an extra oxygen atom!) is a weakly acidic, colourless liquid which can easily be mixed with water. It can also be pale blue in its pure form, although as it is an unstable compound and [...]
Ethanol is a strongly-smelling, volatile, flammable liquid – so yes, the short answer is that ethanol is hazardous! Ethanol was first discovered as a by-product of fermenting alcohol, has been used in chemistry since the 1850s, and due to its versatility is now widely used in industry and homes around the world. Despite being common and having myriad uses, ethanol [...]
Before we look at how ethanol is made, let’s explore what it is and what it’s used for. We’re probably all familiar with ethanol as the main ingredient in alcoholic drinks (although it should never be consumed on its own as it isn’t fit for human consumption in its pure form). Its pure form is a clear, colourless, flammable liquid [...]
