Caesium peroxide explained

Caesium peroxide or cesium peroxide is an inorganic compound of caesium and oxygen with the chemical formula . It can be formed from caesium metal by adding a stoichiometric amount in ammonia solution, or oxidizing the solid metal directly.

It can also be formed by the thermal decomposition of caesium superoxide:^[1]

Upon heating until 650 °C, the compound will decompose to caesium monoxide and atomic oxygen:^[2]

Caesium peroxide shows a Raman vibration at 743 cm⁻¹, due to the presence of the peroxide ions.^[3] The compound is often used as a coating for photocathodes, due to its low work function.^[4]

External links

• Combining what shouldn't be combined: Making Cesium superoxide

Notes and References

1. Berardinelli . S. P. . Kraus . D. L. . Thermal decomposition of the higher oxides of cesium in the temperature range 320-500.deg. . Inorganic Chemistry . American Chemical Society (ACS) . 13 . 1 . 1974-01-01 . 0020-1669 . 10.1021/ic50131a037 . 189–191.
2. Book: Zefirov, Nikolaj . Chimičeskaja ėnciklopedija : v pjati tomach . Izdat. . Moskva . 1995 . 5-85270-092-4 . 258155382 . bs . 658.
3. Livneh . Tsachi . Band . Alisa . Tenne . Reshef . Raman scattering from the peroxide ion in Cs₂O₂ . Journal of Raman Spectroscopy . Wiley . 33 . 8 . 2002 . 0377-0486 . 10.1002/jrs.900 . 675–676. 2002JRSp...33..675L.
4. Sun . Yun . Liu . Zhi . Pianetta . Piero . Lee . Dong-Ick . Formation of cesium peroxide and cesium superoxide on InP photocathodes activated by cesium and oxygen . Journal of Applied Physics . AIP Publishing . 102 . 7 . 2007 . 074908–074908–6 . 0021-8979 . 10.1063/1.2786882 . 2007JAP...102g4908S . free.