Sodium hypophosphite
Encyclopedia
Sodium hypophosphite is the sodium salt of hypophosphorous acid
and is often encountered as the monohydrate, NaPO2H2·H2O. It is a solid at room temperature, appearing as odorless white crystals. It is soluble in water, and easily absorbs moisture from the air.
Sodium hypophosphite should be kept in a cool, dry place, isolated from oxidizing materials. It decomposes when heated and produces toxic phosphine
gas, causing irritation to the respiratory tract.
. With this method, a durable nickel-phosphorus film can coat objects with irregular surfaces, and can widely be in avionics, aviation and the petroleum field.
Sodium hypophosphite is capable of reducing nickel ions in solution to metallic nickel on metal substrates as well as on plastic substrates. The latter requires that the substrate is activated with fine particles of palladium. The resulting nickel deposit contains up to 15% phosphorus.
It also can be used as a food additive.
designated sodium hypophosphite as a List I chemical
under 21 CFR 1310.02
effective November 17, 2001, specifically mentioning the compound together with several other salts of hypophosphorous acid.
Hypophosphorous acid
Hypophosphorous acid is a phosphorus oxoacid and a powerful reducing agent with molecular formula H3PO2. Inorganic chemists refer to the free acid by this name , or the acceptable name of phosphinic acid. It is a colorless low-melting compound, which is soluble in water, dioxane, and alcohols...
and is often encountered as the monohydrate, NaPO2H2·H2O. It is a solid at room temperature, appearing as odorless white crystals. It is soluble in water, and easily absorbs moisture from the air.
Sodium hypophosphite should be kept in a cool, dry place, isolated from oxidizing materials. It decomposes when heated and produces toxic phosphine
Phosphine
Phosphine is the compound with the chemical formula PH3. It is a colorless, flammable, toxic gas. Pure phosphine is odourless, but technical grade samples have a highly unpleasant odor like garlic or rotting fish, due to the presence of substituted phosphine and diphosphine...
gas, causing irritation to the respiratory tract.
- 2 NaH2PO2 → Na2HPO4 + PH3
Uses
Sodium hypophosphite is mainly used for electroless nickel platingElectroless nickel plating
Electroless nickel plating is an auto-catalytic chemical technique used to deposit a layer of nickel-phosphorus or nickel-boron alloy on a solid workpiece, such as metal or plastic. The process relies on the presence of a reducing agent, for example hydrated sodium hypophosphite which reacts with...
. With this method, a durable nickel-phosphorus film can coat objects with irregular surfaces, and can widely be in avionics, aviation and the petroleum field.
Sodium hypophosphite is capable of reducing nickel ions in solution to metallic nickel on metal substrates as well as on plastic substrates. The latter requires that the substrate is activated with fine particles of palladium. The resulting nickel deposit contains up to 15% phosphorus.
It also can be used as a food additive.
DEA List I status
The United States Drug Enforcement AdministrationDrug Enforcement Administration
The Drug Enforcement Administration is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Justice, tasked with combating drug smuggling and use within the United States...
designated sodium hypophosphite as a List I chemical
DEA list of chemicals
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration maintains lists regarding not only the classification of illicit drugs . It also maintains List I of chemicals and List II of chemicals, which contain chemicals which are used to manufacture the controlled substances/illicit drugs...
under 21 CFR 1310.02
Code of Federal Regulations
The Code of Federal Regulations is the codification of the general and permanent rules and regulations published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government of the United States.The CFR is published by the Office of the Federal Register, an agency...
effective November 17, 2001, specifically mentioning the compound together with several other salts of hypophosphorous acid.