Peroxide of Manganese

Deutoxide of Manganese.—This oxide is found in considerable abundance, and is known in the mineral kingdom as 

With water, peroxide of manganese forms a hydrate, MnO, HO, which is obtained when salts of the protoxide are acted on by bleaching liquor, or when the acids of manganese are spontaneously decomposed. It is a beautiful brown powder, which is decomposed by heat. 

This salt is more permanent than the manganate but when we attempt to isolate the acid, it is rapidly decomposed, yielding hydrated peroxide and oxygen gas, Mn, 0,=2Mn0, + 0j. 

The name of chameleon mineral was given to the compound above described from its singular changes of colour. Both the above acids possess and communicate to their salts very beautiful colours but they cannot be used in dyeing, c., because these acids are so easily decomposed, especially by the contact of organic matter. They ought to be filtered through asbestos when they require filtration. 

This oxide occurs in nature, and may be obtained when any other oxide of manganese is strongly igmted in an open crucible. It is very permanent in composition its colour is reddish-brown. It is not supposed to be an independent oxide of the metal, but rather a compound of two other oxides. It may be either MnO H-MUj Oj or MnOj- -2MnO, and it is not easy to say which. 

---

If a figure be attached, as above, to either or both symbols, it multiplies that symbol only to which it is attached. Thus Mn 0, is the symbol for peroxide of manganese, a compound of... 

On the other hand, we obtain of oxalate of potash, the equivalent of which is (in round numbers) 84, 6 equivalents=504 of peroxide of manganese, the equivalent of which is 44, 12 equivalents = 628 and of watery the equivalent of which is 9, 10 equivalents = 90 the whole products amounting to 1122. 

When the snperoxide, or indifferent oxide of a metal, is acted on by an acid it loses oxygen, while a basic oxide, being left, combines with the acid as in the process for obtaining oxygen by the action of sulphuric acid on peroxide of manganese, given and explained at p. 44. 

It is best prepared by the action of peroxide of manganese on hydrochloric acid. 1 part of finely-powdered peroxide is covered in a roomy flask with 6 parts of moderately strong hydrochloric... 

It is best obtained from kelp, the ashes of various species of fucus, or other algae. The kelp is lixiviated with -water and the solution evaporated as long as it deposits crystals. The mother liquor is precipitated by a mixture of 1 part of sulphate of copper and 2 parts of sulphate of iron, and the precipitate, which is subiodide of copper, Cu, I, if heated with peroxide of manganese alone, or with the addition of sulphuric acid, yields the iodine as a purple vapour, which condenses in black crystalline scales on the cold part of the apparatus. It is purified by a second sublimation. 

This acid is formed, along with sulphuric acid, when sulphurous acid is oxidised by means of peroxide of manganese 380,- -2MnO, =MnO, S3O. -)-MnO, SO3. The solution thus obtained is decomposed by baryta, or by sulphuret of barium, by which the manganese is separated as oxide or as sulphuret, and the sulphuric acid as sulphate of baryta, and hyposulphate of baryta, a soluble salt, is obtained MnO,8 0 -l-BaS=BaO, SjO d-MnS and MnO, 80,-1-BaS=BaO, 803-t-MnS. The filtered solution is then mixed %vith just as much diluted sulphuric acid as is sufficient to separate the... 

Peroxide of cobalt is, like peroxide of manganese, an indifferent or neutral oxide, for it does not combine with acids and when dissolved in hydrochloric acid, it forms protochloride, chlorine being disengeged. 

Synonyms.—Manganic Peroxide Manganic Dioxide Peroxide of Manganese Binoxide of Manganese. 

---