chemicalreduction
Chemical reduction is a type of redox reaction in which a species gains electrons or undergoes a decrease in oxidation state. In practice, reductions are described relative to oxidation; the substance that donates electrons is the reducing agent, and the substance that accepts electrons is the oxidant. Reductions occur in redox couples with simultaneous oxidation of another species.
Common chemical reducing agents include metal hydrides such as sodium borohydride and lithium aluminium hydride, which
Reductions can be carried out electrochemically, where electrons are supplied at the cathode, or chemically, using
Applications of reduction processes span metal refining and deposition, organic synthesis, materials processing, and environmental chemistry,
Related topics include oxidation, redox reactions, reducing agents, and oxidation state.