Description
Calcium oxide (CaO), also known as quicklime or burnt lime, is a widely used chemical compound. It is a white, caustic, alkaline, crystalline solid at room temperature. The broadly used term “lime” connotes calcium-containing inorganic materials, in which carbonates, oxides and hydroxides of calcium, silicon, magnesium, aluminum, and iron predominate. By contrast, quicklime specifically applies to the single chemical compound calcium oxide. Solid calcium oxide compound that survives processing without reacting in building products such as cement is called free lime.
Quicklime is relatively inexpensive. Both it and a chemical derivative (calcium hydroxide, of which quicklime is the base anhydride) are important commodity chemicals.
Calcium Oxide Uses
Calcium oxide is used as a food additive, but it also has a wide range of applications in specialty industries, including in steelmaking, cement production, petroleum, and mining.
Additional information
| CAS# | 1305-78-8 |
|---|---|
| Formula | CaO |
