Barium chlorate acid, the formal precursor to all chlorate salts, through its reaction with dilute sulfuric acid, which results in a solution of chloric acid and insoluble barium sulfate precipitate: Both the chlorate and the acid should be prepared as dilute solutions before mixing, such that the chloric acid produced is dilute, as concentrated solutions of chloric acid (above 30%) are unstable and prone to decompose, sometimes explosively. Fireworks Barium chlorate, when burned with a fuel, produces a vibrant green light. Because it is an oxidizer, a chlorine donor, and contains a metal, this compound produces a green color that is unparalleled.
Sodium chlorate herbicides in aqueous solution is possible to some extent, so long as they are not susceptible to oxidation. The sale of sodium chlorate as a weedkiller was banned in the European Union in 2009, with existing stocks to be used within the following year. Chemical oxygen generators, such as those in commercial aircraft, provide emergency oxygen to passengers to protect them from drops in cabin pressure. Oxygen is generated by high-temperature decomposition of sodium chlorate: Heat required for this reaction is generated by oxidation of a small amount of iron powder mixed with the sodium chlorate, and the reaction consumes