Nickel Sulphate Formula

Nickel Sulfate is an inorganic compound. One can usually get it as a by-product of copper refining. Nickel Sulfate naturally occurs as a rare mineral which is retgersite. In this short article, we will discuss the nickel sulphate formula, its chemical structure along with some properties and examples. Let us learn it!

Source: simple.wikipedia.org

Nickel Sulphate Formula

What is Nickel Sulphate?

It is a chemical widely useful in utensils, jewelry, coins, metal buttons, and eyeglasses. It is also useful for making paper clips, keys, enamel dyes, and electrical wiring. Nickel Sulfate hexahydrate is also popular as blue salt. One may also produce it by the dissolution of nickel metal or nickel oxides in the sulfuric acid.

Aqueous solutions of the nickel Sulfate reacts with sodium carbonate to precipitate the nickel carbonate, which is a precursor to nickel-based catalysts and pigments.

The formula for Nickel Sulphate

Its chemical formula is $NiSO_{4}$.

Another way to write this formula is $NiO_{4}$S. Obviously, it contains one atom of Ni, one atom of S and 4 atoms of O. This chemical is also termed as Nickelous Sulfate, Nickel (II) Sulfate.

Properties of Nickel Sulphate

Its melting point is more than $100 ^{\circ}$ C and the boiling point is $840 ^{\circ}$ C. A metal Sulfate will have nickel ion with charge +2 as the metal ion. This chemical is yellow-green crystals which are soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol.

Also, it is blue, emerald-green, or green crystals that are soluble in water and alcohol. Nickel Sulfate is useful in plating baths. And it is useful as an intermediate in the production of nickel ammonium Sulfate. We may use it as a mordant in dyeing, and printing textiles; coatings, and ceramics.

It is a strong reducing agent. It is incompatible with oxidizers like chlorates, nitrates, peroxides, permanganates, perchlorates, chlorine, bromine, fluorine, etc.

Preparation of Nickel Sulphate

We may get this Nickel Sulfate by several methods. Scientists prepare it by dissolving nickel metal, its oxide, or its carbonate in sulfuric acid. In these methods, powdered metal or black nickel oxide is added to hot dilute sulfuric acid, or nickel carbonate is added to dilute sulfuric acid.

Their equations are:

$NiO + H_{2}SO_{4} \rightarrow  NiSO_{4} + H_{2}O$

And,

\(NiCO_{3} + H{{2}SO_{4} \rightarrow → NiSO{{4} + CO_{2} + H_{2}O\)

\(Ni(CO)_{4} + SO{{2} + O_{2} \rightarrow  NiSO_{4} + 4CO\)

Uses of Nickel Sulfate

Some main uses of it are as given below:

• It is useful in laboratories.
• It is useful as a calibrate for magnetic susceptibility measurements.
• Also, it is useful to make other nickel compounds
• It is useful in the electroplating of nickel on other metals.

Solved Examples on Nickel Sulphate Formula

Q.1: Determine the molar mass of Nickel Sulphate.

Solution: Its molecular formula is:

$NiSO_{4}$.

Thus its molar mass will be,

= $58.6934 + 32.065 + 4 \times 15.999$

= 154.756 gram per mole.

Thus the molar mass of $NiSO_{4}$ will be 154.756 gram per mole.

Q.2: Is Nickel Sulfate dangerous?

Solution: Nickel Sulfate is a CARCINOGEN with HANDLE WITH EXTREME CAUTION condition. It may damage the testes and cause infertility in males. Its direct contact can irritate and burn the skin as well as eyes. Breathing of this Nickel Sulfate chemical may irritate the nose, throat, and lungs which further cause cough, phlegm, and shortness of breath.