Difference Between Sodium Perborate and Percarbonate

The key difference between sodium perborate and percarbonate is that sodium perborate contains a perborate anion consisting of a cyclic –B-O-O- core with two hydroxyl groups attached to each boron atom whereas sodium percarbonate is simply an adduct with hydrogen peroxide.

Sodium perborate and sodium percarbonate are inorganic compounds having sodium as cations.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Sodium Perborate
3. What is Sodium Percarbonate
4. Side by Side Comparison – Sodium Perborate vs Percarbonate in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is Sodium Perborate?

Sodium perborate is an inorganic chemical compound having the chemical formula NaH2BO4 or Na2H4B2O8. We can abbreviate the name of this compound as PBS. This compound is commonly found in its anhydrous form or in the form of the hexahydrate; e.g. monohydrate form of sodium perborate is named as PBS-1, and the tetrahydrate form is called as PBS-4. Both these hydrate forms of sodium perborate are white, odourless, and water-soluble solids. Sodium perborate salt is mainly used in the manufacture of laundry detergents. There it acts as one of the peroxide-based beaches.

When considering the basic structure of sodium perborate, it is different from the chemical structures of sodium percarbonate and sodium perphosphate because it has a perborate anion consisting of a cyclic –B-O-O- core with two hydroxyl groups attached to each and every boron atom. This ring structure usually adopts a chair conformation.

Typically, sodium perborate easily undergoes hydrolysis when added to water, which produces hydrogen peroxide and borate. In a solution of aqueous sodium perborate, the cyclic anion undergoes hydrolysis into two anions of [B(OH)3(OOH)]-. Furthermore, the monohydrate form of this compound can easily dissolve in water compared to the tetrahydrate form, and it has a higher heat stability as well. Therefore, we can form monohydrate from heating the tetrahydrate sodium perborate.

When considering the uses of sodium perborate, it serves as a stable source of active oxygen in many detergents, laundry detergent, cleaning products, and laundry bleaches. Also, it is present in some tooth bleaching formulas for non-vital root treated teeth.

What is Sodium Percarbonate?

Sodium percarbonate is an inorganic compound having the chemical formula Na2H3CO6. We can observe this compound as an adduct of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide, whose formula can be written properly as 2Na2CO3.3H2O. Sodium percarbonate is a colourless, crystalline, hygroscopic solid that is soluble in water. We can abbreviate this compound as SPC. Usually, this substance contains 32.5% by weight of hydrogen peroxide.

When sodium percarbonate is dissolved in water, it yields a mixture of hydrogen peroxide (that eventually undergoes decomposition to form water ad oxygen), sodium cations and carbonate anions.

When considering the uses of sodium percarbonate, it is important as an oxidizing agent in laundry products, cleaning products, etc. It is also useful as a cleaning agent in many homebrewers. Further, we can use this compound in organic synthesis as a convenient source of anhydrous hydrogen peroxide in particular solvents.

What is the Difference Between Sodium Perborate and Percarbonate?

Sodium perborate and sodium percarbonate are inorganic compounds having sodium as cations. The key difference between sodium perborate and percarbonate is that sodium perborate contains a perborate anion consisting of a cyclic –B-O-O- core with two hydroxyl groups attached to each boron atom whereas sodium percarbonate is simply an adduct with hydrogen peroxide.

Below infographic tabulates more differences between sodium perborate and percarbonate for side by side comparison.

Summary – Sodium Perborate vs Percarbonate

Sodium perborate and sodium percarbonate are inorganic compounds having sodium as a cation. The key difference between sodium perborate and percarbonate is that sodium perborate contains a perborate anion consisting of a cyclic –B-O-O- core with two hydroxyl groups attached to each boron atom whereas sodium percarbonate is simply an adduct with hydrogen peroxide.

Reference:

1. “Sodium percarbonate.” Wikipedia, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Perborate dimer” (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Sodium-percarbonate-xtal-100K-2003-CM-3D-balls” By Ben Mills – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia