The cadmium hydroxide (Cd (OH)two) Is a substance of inorganic origin, characterized by being in a solid state of aggregation, in the form of white crystals. It is a substance of ionic nature with a hexagonal-type crystalline structure, constituting a hydroxide whose behavior is amphoteric.
In this sense, cadmium hydroxide can be produced in different ways, such as, for example, through the treatment of the salt known as cadmium nitrate with the strong base sodium hydroxide.
This hydroxide is used in numerous applications, including the process known as cadmium plating or plating, although it is also widely used in the preparation of other salts of this transition metal..
On the other hand, exposure to this compound can carry health risks, because it is absorbed through contact with the skin and through the respiratory tract. It should be noted that it is considered a carcinogenic substance.
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Cadmium hydroxide is made up of only two ions: cadmium (Cdtwo+) and hydroxyl (OH-), thus forming an ionic compound of molecular formula Cd (OH)two.
The structure of this compound is quite similar to that of magnesium hydroxide (Mg (OH)two), since its crystals have a molecular arrangement that obeys the hexagonal symmetry, according to the unit cells that make them up.
Similarly, this substance can be produced by treating cadmium metal nitrate (Cd (NO3)two) with a certain amount of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), according to the following equation:
Cd (NO3)two + 2NaOH → Cd (OH)two + 2NaNO3
Although it exhibits similarities to zinc hydroxide, Cd (OH) is consideredtwo has characteristics of greater basicity.
Also, since cadmium belongs to the block d of the periodic table, it used to be considered a transition metal, so this and other similar metal hydroxides such as zinc are considered transition metal hydroxides.
In this class of chemical species, the largest oxoanion is the hydroxide, and the element with the highest molar mass or molecular weight that is not found in the oxoanion turns out to be one of the transition metals..
Among the most outstanding properties of cadmium hydroxide are:
-It is an ionic species belonging to inorganic compounds, whose structure is crystalline and has a hexagonal arrangement..
-Its molecular formula is described as Cd (OH)two and its molecular weight or molar mass is approximately 146.43 g / mol.
-It has an amphoteric behavior, that is, it can act as an acid or a base depending on the chemical reaction and the environment in which it is carried out..
-Its density is about 4.79 g / cm3 and is considered soluble in acidic substances of low concentration (diluted).
-It is capable of forming an anionic coordination compound when it is treated with a concentrated solution of sodium hydroxide.
-It can also form coordination compounds with ammonium, thiocyanate, or cyanide ions when added to solutions containing these ionic species..
-Often experiences dehydration (loss of water molecules) when subjected to heating, forming cadmium oxide (CdO).
-When heated, it can also undergo thermal decomposition, but this only occurs between 130 and 300 ° C.
-It has numerous applications, but among them its use as a fundamental component in storage batteries stands out..
-Exhibits appreciable solubility when found in alkaline solutions.
Cadmium hydroxide is used in a large number of uses and applications, such as those mentioned below.
In the manufacture of devices known as storage batteries, this chemical compound is used as an essential anodic component in the process..
Similarly, this hydroxide is a key species when cadmium coating technique is carried out on certain materials..
Also in the preparation of certain cadmium salts, although the procedure is not as simple as it happens with the production of hydroxide.
On the other hand, when the devices known as silver-cadmium (Ag-Cd) and nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) accumulators are discharged, this compound is generated, according to the reaction shown below:
Cd + 2NiO (OH) + 2HtwoO → Cd (OH)two + Ni (OH)two
Then, when recharging occurs, this hydroxide is transformed into the metallic form of cadmium by means of an intermediate product that is dissolved, and in this way other products can be generated..
In more recent applications, this hydroxide has been used in the production of nano-sized cables with a one-dimensional structure to be examined as an alternative thin-film electrode in supercapacitors..
Direct exposure to cadmium hydroxide has certain associated risks, whether by oral route, inhalation or dermal contact; such as the generation of vomiting and diarrhea.
Regarding the effects of chronic inhalation of the vapors produced by it, there are certain lung diseases such as emphysema and bronchitis, there may even be pulmonary edema or pneumonitis of chemical causes.
Another consequence of prolonged exposure to this substance is the accumulation of cadmium in certain organs such as the kidneys or the liver, causing them injuries and permanent damage, because this compound causes a greater quantity of molecular proteins to be excreted, which are of a natural nature. vital in the body.
Similarly, loss or decrease in bone density or cadmium poisoning can occur..
In addition to these effects, this molecule combines with the estrogen receptor and causes its activation, which can cause the stimulation of development in some classes of cancer cells.
Likewise, this chemical species causes other estrogenic repercussions, such as the incapacitation of the reproductive function in human beings and, as its structure has a great affinity with that of zinc, cadmium can interfere in some of its biological processes..
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