High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Sodium chlorate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (NaClO3). When pure, it is a white crystalline powder that is readily soluble in water. It is hygroscopic. It decomposes above 250 °C to release oxygen and leave sodium chloride. The main commercial use for sodium chlorate is for making chlorine dioxide, ClO2. The largest application, approx. 95% of the chlorate, is in bleaching of pulp where chlorine dioxide today is the predominant bleaching agent. Chemical oxygen generator for example in commercial aircraft provide emergency oxygen to passengers to protect them from drops in cabin pressure by catalytic decomposition of sodium chlorate. The catalyst is normally some iron powder. Barium peroxide (BaO2) is used to absorb the chlorine which is a minor product in the decomposition.