Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium Hydroxide in a solution is a white, colorless, non-volatile solution. This chemical is odorless and stable. The boiling point of sodium hydroxide is 1390 deg C and the freezing point is 318 deg C. Sodium Hydroxide's molecular weight is 40.00 and the solubility is 1g/0.9 ml of water. This chemical is highly poisonous and has incompatibilities with other materials. Such incompatibilities would be that is generates large amounts of heat when in contact with water and may steam or splatter. Reacts with mineral acids to form corresponding salts and reacts with weak acids gases like hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide, and also ignites when in contact with cinnamaldehyde or zinc. Sodium Hydroxide is extremely corrosive and it can cause blindness, permanent scarring and death.

Sodium Hydroxide has many uses and this is why it is one of the top fifty chemicals of production. The main use of this chemical is in chemical manufacturing such as ph control, acid neutralization, off-gas scrubbing, and catalyst. It is also used in pulp and paper manufacturing, in petroleum and natural gas industry, manufacturing of soap and detergents and other cleaning products. Some other uses are water treatment, food processing, flue-gas scrubbing, mining, glass making, textile processing, refining vegetables, metal degreasing, and more.

Sodium Hydroxide is produced in mainly three forms. The forms are 50% and 73% aqueous solutions, and anhydrous sodim hydroxide in the form of solid cakes, flakes or beads. The major impurities include sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, sodium chlorate, potassium and heavy metals such as iron and nickel. Some synonyms for sodium hydroxide solutions are caustic soda, liquid caustic, lye, soda lye, sodium hydrate, white caustic, and solution d'hydroxide de sodium.

As was said before Sodium Hydroxide is very poisonous. When in contact with