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What is Sodium hydroxide?
The chemical compound, which is made up of sodium cations and hydroxide anions, is known as Sodium Hydroxide. At room temperature, it’s really a strong base that is a white solid. NaOH is the chemical formula of it and is commonly referred to as caustic soda or lye. Because it only possesses one OH- ion, that is why sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is a monoacidic base; it means that OH- can only displace or neutralise one H+ ion in an acid.
Is sodium hydroxide soluble in water?
It is very water-soluble and absorbs carbon dioxide and humidity from the air; thus, it should be kept in a sealed container. Despite the fact that it has a white, flaky and hard look when pure, it is liquid and colourless with a density greater than water. Sodium hydroxide is also soluble in water.
The most extensively used industrial alkali, this orthogonal crystal is severely caustic to animal and plant tissue as well as metals. It is also the most often used base in chemical labs because of its capacity to test a large variety of cations while simultaneously providing the necessary alkaline media.
Sodium hydroxide in water
As we mentioned above, sodium hydroxide is soluble in water. It creates alkaline solutions when dissolved in water, which may be utilised in the treatment of cellulose, the removal of organic and sulfuric acid, and the manufacture of certain compounds.
Sodium hydroxide in water is an exothermic reaction. When we mix sodium hydroxide in water, a large amount of heat is liberated. In the end, you will get a solution of sodium hydroxide but make sure to add NaOH to water, not water to NaOH.
How is Sodium Hydroxide prepared?
Electrolytic Process
The Chlor-alkali process produces sodium hydroxide as well as chlorine and hydrogen gas.
The diaphragm cell method, the mercury cell method, and the membrane cell method are the three types of Chlor-alkali processes. The membrane cell process uses the least amount of electricity and is the most environmentally friendly among the three processes.
A membrane cell with positive and negative charged electrodes is carried into a condensed sodium chloride solution (brine) and produces chlorine gas when the negative charge (anode) oxidises a chloride ion and hydrogen gas when the positive charge (cathode) oxidises hydrogen ions in this procedure.
When sodium ions travel through the semipermeable membrane cell and mix with water, sodium hydroxide is produced.
2NaCl(aq) + 2H2O(l) = 2NaOH(aq) + Cl2(g) + H2 (g)
Lowig’s ProcessÂ
As a starting material, sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) is utilised, which results in the synthesis of sodium ferrate (Na2Fe2O4). The following is the chemical reaction that occurs:
Na2CO3 + Fe2O3 → 2NaFeO2 + CO2
Calcination is used to carry out the above process. The carbon dioxide produced in the following process escapes, but sodium ferrate stays inside the furnace. To eliminate soluble particles, the bulk is washed with cold water. Then, at 90 degrees centigrade, water is flowed over the sodium ferrate to continue its breakdown and to create sodium hydroxide and iron oxide. The chemical reaction is represented in the following reaction:
2NaFeO2 + H2O → 2NaOH + Fe2O3
As a result, the sodium ferrate produced during the first reaction is decomposed with water, and the resulting solution is filtered and evaporated to produce sodium hydroxide particles.
LeSueur’s process
Lunge’s device is used in the procedure. The cathode, which is made of iron wire gauze, is slanted. The diaphragm is supported by it, which is made up of two parts: a parchment paper sheet and a double sheet of asbestos bonded together by blood albumin that has been coagulated and hardened with potassium bichromate. The anode, which was constructed of lead and carried carbon rods plunging into the salt solution, was housed in an earthenware bell. Caustic soda is generated in the solution outside the bell, and the hydrogen was predicted to escape freely due to the cathode’s sloped location, preventing polarisation. However, the ceramic bells were dissolved by the caustic soda solution in practice while the hydrogen was released.
Uses of Sodium Hydroxide
As it is a co-product of chlorine production, it is highly used in cleansing products like detergents, soaps, and various other types of cleaners. As Sodium hydroxide is soluble in water – detergents or cleaners get dissolved in water.
They are also used in making paper. Wood is treated with a number of solutions, including Sodium Hydroxide, to remove unwanted elements. After this process, only pure cellulose remains, which is the basis of papermaking.
Sodium Hydroxide is heavily used in making different medicines. So it has great importance in the pharmaceutical industry. From pain killers to anticoagulants, NaOH is used in the preparation of various common medicines.
ConclusionÂ
Sodium Hydroxide is one of the most common salts that you will find in every lab. Among students bases are known by the name of NaOH, so you can imagine its popularity. It is used widely, and as we said, it is one of the most common salts you will find in our day to day products. So you can say that it’s present everywhere, from labs to households.
