Calcium Hydroxide Guide

Calcium hydroxide, traditionally called slaked lime, hydrated lime, slack lime, or pickling lime, is a chemical compound with the chemical formula Ca(OH)2. It is a colourless crystal or white powder, and is obtained when calcium oxide (called lime or quicklime) is mixed, or "slaked" with water. It can also be precipitated by mixing an aqueous solution of calcium chloride and an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide. The name of the natural, mineral form is portlandite. It is a relatively rare mineral, known from some volcanic, plutonic, and metamorphic rocks. It has also been known to arise in burning coal dumps.

When heated to 512 °C, the partial pressure of water in equilibrium with calcium hydroxide reaches 101 kPa and decomposes into calcium oxide and water.[1]

A suspension of fine calcium hydroxide particles in water is called milk of lime. The solution is called lime water and is a medium strength base that reacts violently with acids and attacks many metals in presence of water. It turns milky if carbon dioxide is passed through, due to precipitation of calcium carbonate....