White phosphorus, also known as yellow phosphorus, is an allotropic form of phosphorus. It is a white or yellow crystalline or waxy substance that is highly toxic, flammable, and chemically active. The molecular formula of white phosphorus is P4, which is an elemental substance, white phosphorus is insoluble in water, slightly soluble in ethanol, benzene, ether, chloroform and toluene, soluble in carbon disulfide. It is chemically very reactive and can react with a wide range of substances.
White phosphorus is prepared by mixing calcium phosphate, quartz sand and charcoal, and then passing the generated phosphorus vapor into water.
White phosphorus is very toxic and requires only very small amounts to be lethal. It can enter the human body through contact, inhalation and ingestion, causing serious damage to the nervous system, respiratory system and digestive system of the human body. Therefore, special care needs to be taken when handling white phosphorus and appropriate precautions should be taken. White phosphorus is also very flammable, so it can be easily burned at room temperature. If white phosphorus comes into contact with oxygen, it will rapidly oxidize and release a large amount of heat, resulting in spontaneous combustion or even **, generating phosphorus pentoxide. Therefore, white phosphorus is kept in water, and special care needs to be taken when storing and using white phosphorus. White phosphorus is highly chemically active and can react with a wide range of substances. In a lack of oxygen and humidity, it slowly oxidizes and emits phosphorescence. White phosphorus is dissolved in a hot concentrated alkali solution to form phosphine and hypophosphite dihydrogen salt, phosphorus reacts with excess chlorine to form solid phosphorus pentachloride, and reacts with insufficient chlorine gas to form liquid phosphorus trichloride. White phosphorus can be converted to black phosphorus by isolating it from air, heat, or light. So these reactions can produce a variety of useful compounds, such as phosphoric acid and various phosphorus-containing compounds, etc. Therefore, white phosphorus is one of the important raw materials in the chemical industry. In practical applications, white phosphorus is very versatile. It can be used to make phosphate fertilizers, phosphoric acid, pyrotechnics, matches, pesticides and phosphor bronze, etc.; White phosphorus can be used to make smoke grenades, incendiary bombs, and flares, among other things. In conclusion, white phosphorus is a very important chemical raw material, but its toxicity, flammability and chemical activity also bring great safety risks. Therefore, special care is required when handling and using white phosphorus, and appropriate precautions are taken. At the same time, we should also strengthen the safety management of white phosphorus to ensure its safe and reliable storage and use. Finally, it is worth noting that although white phosphorus is highly chemically active and toxic, it is not easily exposed to it in everyday life. However, white phosphorus is one of the most important raw materials for some industrial production and military applications. Therefore, we should strengthen the supervision of its safety management and use to ensure that it safely and reliably serves the development of human society.