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Names | |
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Other names
Sodium trimetaphosphate
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Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol)
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.029.171 |
EC Number |
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PubChem CID
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UNII | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)
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Properties | |
Na3P3O9 | |
Molar mass | 305.885 g/mol |
Appearance | colorless or white crystals |
Density | 2.49 g/cm3 (anhydrous) 1.786 g/cm3 (hexahydrate) |
Melting point | 53 °C (127 °F; 326 K) (hexahydrate, decomposes to anyhdrous) |
22 g/100 mL | |
Solubility | insoluble in alcohol |
Refractive index (nD)
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1.433 (hexahydrate) |
Structure | |
triclinic (hexahydrate) | |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Sodium trimetaphosphate (also STMP), with formula Na3P3O9, is one of the metaphosphates of sodium. It has the formula Na3P3O9 but the hexahydrate Na3P3O9·(H2O)6 is also well known. It is the sodium salt of trimetaphosphoric acid. It is a colourless solid that finds specialised applications in food and construction industries: it is used as a phosphorylating agent for ascorbic acid to stabilize vitamin C mixtures against thermal decomposition; in the construction industry, sodium trimetaphosphate is used to prevent the shrinkage of gypsum plaster boards (US Pat. 03/0154888) and as a setting retarder for gypsum plaster.[2]
Although drawn with a particular resonance structure, the trianion has high symmetry.[3]