SODIUM HYPOPHOSPHITE

Chemical name: Sodium hypophosphite, NaH2PO2

Other names: SODIUM HYPOPHOSPHITE, Phosphinic acid, sodium salt; sodium monophosphate; Hypophosphorous Acid Monosodium Salt; Sodium hypophosphite; Phosphinic Acid Monosodium Salt; Sodium Phosphinate; Fosfinato de sodio; Phosphinate de sodium.

Chemical formula: NaH2PO2.H2O

Purity: 100%

CAS number: 7681-53-0, 10039-56-2 (monohydrate)

Appearance: White crystal

Sodium hypophosphite (NaPO₂H₂, also known as sodium phosphinate) is the sodium salt of hypophosphorous acid and is often encountered as the monohydrate, NaPO₂H₂·H₂O. It is a solid at room temperature, appearing as odorless white crystals. It is soluble in water, and easily absorbs moisture from the air.

Sodium hypophosphite should be kept in a cool, dry place, isolated from oxidizing materials. It decomposes into phosphine which is irritating to the respiratory tract and disodium phosphate. : 2 NaH₂PO₂ → PH₃ + Na₂HPO₄

Applications:

• Sodium hypophosphite is mainly used for electroless nickel plating (Ni-P). With this method, a durable nickel-phosphorus film can coat objects with irregular surfaces, such as in avionics, aviation and the petroleum field.
• Sodium hypophosphite is capable of reducing nickel ions in solution to metallic nickel on metal substrates as well as on plastic substrates. The latter requires that the substrate is activated with fine particles of palladium. The resulting nickel deposit contains up to 15% phosphorus.
• It can be used as a food additive.