Reduction potentials of ferrous hydroxide

Abstract

The accelerated oxidation of cellulose in the presence of ferrous hydroxide by dilute solutions of sodium hypochlorite, buffered to different hydrogen ion concentrations, has been studied by Nabar and Turner1. It was shown that the maximum absorption of oxygen and the maximum attack on cellulose occurred at about pH. 6.4. From similar earlier investigations, with leuco vat dyes as accelerators, Nabar, Scholefield and Turner 2,3 had shown that the maximum oxygen uptake and the maximum oxidation of cellulose occurred at about pH. 7.4. The obvious dependence of the oxidizing intensity of sodium hypochlorite solutions on the specific substance present on cellulose may be attributed to the differences in their physico-chemical properties, such as reduction potentials, ease of oxidation, etc. The present work was undertaken to study the reduction potential of ferrous hydroxide and examine its influence on the oxidation mechanism.