Barium Sulfate

Barium sulfate or sulphate is a solid inorganic white crystalline compound that is odorless and insoluble in water. It occurs as the mineral barite, which is the main commercial source of barium and materials prepared from it.

The white opaque appearance and its high density are exploited in its main applications. About 80% of the world's barium sulfate production, mostly purified mineral is consumed as a component of oil well drilling fluid. It increases the density of the fluid.

The majority of synthetic barium sulfate is used as a component of white pigment for paints. In oil paint, barium sulfate is almost transparent, and is used as filler or to modify consistency.

In polypropylene and polystyrene plastics, it is used as filler in proportions up to 70%. It has an effect of increasing acid and alkali resistance and opacity. It is also used in Episal salt, brake linings, anacoustic foams, powder coatings, and root canal filling.

In metal casting, the moulds used are often coated with barium sulfate in order to prevent the molten metal from bonding with the mould. As barium sulfate has high burning point and is insoluble in water, it is used as a coating material in casting of copper anode plates. The anode plates are cast in copper molds, so to avoid the contact of the liquid copper and the solid copper mold, a solution of barium sulfate in water is used as a coating material on the mold surface. Thus when the liquid copper solidifies in form of an anode plate it can be easily released from its mold.

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