Oxygen Preparation from Sodium Peroxide

THE account in NATURE of November 17, p. 778, by Dr. Newton Friend and Mr. S. Marks of an explosion which occurred during the preparation of oxygen from sodium peroxide and water interested us particularly, since in 1924 we had a similar experience. The oxygen was being prepared by dropping water on to solid sodium peroxide in a flask, without heating, and was being led through drying tubes to an ozoniser. The water contained a little cobalt chloride to catalyse the decomposition of the peroxide.