Manufacturer of Barium carbonate (BaCO3) in Chennai India

Barium carbonate (BaCO3), also known as witherite, is a chemical compound used in rat poison, bricks, ceramic glazes and cement.

Preparation
Barium carbonate is made commercially from barium sulfide either by treatment with sodium carbonate at 60 to 70 °C (soda ash method) or by passing carbon dioxide at 40 to 90 °C.

In the soda ash process, solid or dissolved sodium carbonate is added to barium sulfide solution, and the barium carbonate precipitate is filtered, washed and dried.

Reactions
Barium carbonate reacts with acids such as hydrochloric acid to form soluble barium salts, such as barium chloride:
However, the reaction with sulfuric acid is poor, because barium sulfate is highly insoluble.

Uses
Barium carbonate is widely used in the ceramics industry as an ingredient in glazes. It acts as a flux, a matting and crystallizing agent and combines with certain colouring oxides to produce unique colours not easily attainable by other means. Its use is somewhat controversial since some claim that it can leach from glazes into food and drink. To provide a safe means of use, BaO is often used in fritted form.

In the brick, tile, earthenware and pottery industries barium carbonate is added to clays to precipitate soluble salts (calcium sulfate and magnesium sulfate) that cause efflorescence.