Caesium perchlorate or cesium perchlorate (CsClO
4), is a
perchlorate
A perchlorate is a chemical compound containing the perchlorate ion, . The majority of perchlorates are commercially produced salts. They are mainly used as oxidizers for pyrotechnic devices and to control static electricity in food packaging. Per ...
of
caesium. It forms white crystals, which are sparingly soluble in cold water and
ethanol
Ethanol (abbr. EtOH; also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound. It is an alcohol with the chemical formula . Its formula can be also written as or (an ethyl group linked to a ...
. It dissolves more easily in hot water.
CsClO
4 is the second least soluble of the alkali metal perchlorates (after Fr, followed by Rb, K, Li, and Na), a property which may be used for separatory purposes and even for
gravimetric analysis
Gravimetric analysis describes a set of methods used in analytical chemistry for the quantitative determination of an analyte (the ion being analyzed) based on its mass. The principle of this type of analysis is that once an ion's mass has been ...
. This low solubility played an important role in the characterization of
francium as an alkali metal, as francium perchlorate
coprecipitates with caesium perchlorate.
When heated, CsClO
4 decomposes to
caesium chloride above 250 °C. Like all perchlorates, it is a strong oxidant and may react violently with reducing agents and organic materials, especially at elevated temperatures.
References
External links
Sigma-Aldrich MSDS
Caesium compounds
Perchlorates
{{Perchlorates