Calcium Hydroxide

Calcium hydroxide, traditionally called hydrated or slaked lime, is a colorless crystal or white powdered inorganic compound which is obtained when calcium oxide (called lime or quicklime) is mixed, or "slaked" with water. It has many names including builders' lime, slack lime, cal, or pickling lime.

A suspension of fine calcium hydroxide particles in water is called milk of lime. The solution is called limewater and is a medium strength base that reacts with acids and attacks many metals. Limewater turns milky in the presence of carbon dioxide due to formation of calcium carbonate, a process called carbonatation.

Calcium hydroxide is used in many applications, including food preparation. Limewater is the common name for a saturated solution of calcium hydroxide. One significant application of calcium hydroxide is as a flocculant in water and sewage treatment. It forms a fluffy charged solid that aids in the removal of smaller particles from water, resulting in a clearer product.

Another large application is in the paper industry, where it is used in the production of sodium hydroxide. Calcium hydroxide is an ingredient in whitewash, mortar, and plaster.

In road construction, it is use to improve the quality of excessively plastic subgrade soils. In the production of metals, lime is injected into the waste gas stream to neutralize acids, such as fluorides and chlorides prior to being released to atmosphere.

It is also a chemical depilatory agent found in most hair removal creams.

In the petroleum refining industry and petrochemicals, it is use for the manufacture of additives to oils (salicatic, sulphatic, fenatic). Calcium hydroxide is use to manufacture of calcium stearate. It is use for manufacturing solid oil of various marks and in the manufacture of brake pad.

In the food industry, because of its low toxicity and the mildness of its basic properties, slaked lime has a widely variety of uses.

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