Oxidation agent definition with examples in chemistry

 

In a chemical reaction, if a substance oxidizes another substance but reducing itself then it is called an oxidation agent or oxidant.

 

The oxidation agent or oxidant oxidizes the other substance by rejecting the electrons, and accepting those electrons be reduced by itself.

 

For examples, fluorine (F2), chlorine (Cl2), oxygen (O2), ozone (O3), potassium permanganate (KMnO4), potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) etc.

 

What are the various types of oxidation agent?

 

There can be three types of oxidation agent or oxidant depending on the state of matter, such as solid oxidation agents, liquid oxidation agents, and gaseous oxidation agents.

 

Depending on the strength, there are another two types of oxidation agent or oxidant, such as strong oxidation agent and weak or mild oxidation agent.

 

Oxidation agent examples list

What is strong oxidation agent in chemistry?

 

The strength of oxidation agent or oxidant depends on their standard reduction potential determined at 298 K temperature.

 

Oxidants that have a high standard reduction potential value are called stronger oxidation agent.

 

For examples, fluorine (+2.87 volt), permanganate ion (+1.78 volt) etc are act as strong oxidation agent.

 

What is weak or mild oxidation agent?   

 

Oxidants that have a lower standard reduction potential value are called weaker or mild oxidation agent.

 

For examples, iodine (+0.54 volt), stannic chloride (+0.15 volt) etc are act as weak or mild oxidation agent.

 

Oxidation agent in organic chemistry

 

There are various oxidation agents or oxidants of both strong and weak are used in organic chemistry.

 

These oxidation agents or oxidants are used for the purpose of oxidation reaction of different organic compounds such as alcohol, aldehyde, ketone, ester, alkane, alkene, amine etc.

 

For example, strong oxidation agent potassium dichromate and concentrated sulfuric acid oxidized alcohol to carboxylic acid directly.

 

Again, weak or mild oxidation agent pyridinium chlorochromate or PCC oxidized alcohol to aldehyde. This oxidation process is limited to aldehyde levels.

What is CO oxidation in surface chemistry?

 

CO oxidation is related to surface chemistry. Because CO oxidation occurs on the surface of the catalyst, i.e. CO oxidation occurs in the presence of a catalyst.

Thus CO oxidation can be of two types depending on the phase of the reactant, catalyst and product, namely, homogeneous catalysis process and heterogeneous catalysis process.

If the reactant, the catalyst and the product are in the same phase, then that catalysis is called homogeneous catalysis.

 

On the other hand, if the reactant, the catalyst and the product are in the different phase, then that catalysis is called heterogeneous catalysis.

Such as, catalytic CO oxidation clears emissions from motor vehicle and industrial smoke stacks. In this case solid Pt is used as a catalyst. So it is a heterogeneous catalysis process.

 

The reaction follows complex mechanism. In this case two types of CO2 molecules are formed, hyper thermal and thermal.

 

Again, in the presence of nitric oxide gas, carbon dioxide is produced by the reaction of carbon monoxide and oxygen gas. It is an example of a homogeneous catalysis involving CO oxidation.

 

This is because in this process the reactants, catalysts and products remain in the same phase. In this case NO gas acts as a catalyst.

 

 

 

During the formation of photochemical smog, CO is oxidized by oxygen in the air in the presence of sunlight to form carbon dioxide and ozone.

 

So this is also an example of a CO oxidation process. The reaction occurs through free radical formation.

 

It has been also found that CO can be oxidized by water. The reaction of water with CO produces carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The reaction is very slow.

However, when the partial pressure of hydrogen in this reaction is high, HCOOH is produced in the reaction of water with CO. It is also an example of a CO oxidation process.

• Oxidation agent definition with examples in chemistry
• What is CO oxidation in surface chemistry?
• Oxidation agent examples list
• What are the various types of oxidation agent?
• What is strong oxidation agent in chemistry?
• What is weak or mild oxidation agent?
• Oxidation agent in organic chemistry

 

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