Topic summary
Sodium perchlorate
Sodium perchlorate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formulaNaClO4. It consists of sodiumcationsNa and perchlorateanionsClO−4. It is a white crystalline, hygroscopic solid that is highly soluble in water and ethanol. It is usually encountered as sodium perchlorate monohydrateNaClO4·H2O. The compound is noteworthy as the most water-soluble of the common perchlorate salts.
Sodium perchlorate and other perchlorates have been found on the planet Mars, having first been detected by the NASA probe Phoenix in 2009. This was later confirmed by spectral analysis by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter in 2015 of what is thought to be brine seeps which may be the first evidence of flowing liquid water containing hydrated salts on Mars.