Profile
Settings
Refer your friends
Sign out
Sodium Hydroxide is an inorganic chemical that typically exists as a white solid at ambient temperature. This chemical compound is made up of sodium cations Na+ and hydroxide anions OH. The chemical formula for sodium hydroxide is NaOH. It is sometimes referred to as caustic soda or Lye and is widely utilised in the manufacture of a range of goods, including paper, soap and detergents, pulp, explosives, and liquid drain and oven cleaners.
As it creates a great deal of heat, it is always formed by combining the chemical with water, not the other way around. This inorganic chemical is utilised as a buffering agent in cosmetics. Additionally, it has the ability to regulate the PH levels. Sodium hydroxide has a PH of 13.
Sodium Hydroxide is one of the most basic hydroxides available. As a result of these properties, it is frequently used in conjunction with neutral water and (acidic) HCl acid to determine the pH scale. Below, we’ll learn more about Sodium Hydroxide, including its qualities and preparation.
Sodium Hydroxide – NaOH Properties
Sodium Hydroxide is a crystalline white substance with a transparent appearance. Due to its corrosive activity on a wide variety of substances, it is frequently referred to as caustic soda. It degrades proteins at room temperature and may cause chemical burns to human bodies. Although sodium hydroxide does not exist naturally, it has been synthesised on a large scale for many years using easily available raw materials and is utilised in a wide variety of industrial operations.
Preparation Sodium Hydroxide – NaOH
Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) may be manufactured commercially by treating an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) with hot lime milk, i.e. Ca(OH)2, in an iron tank.
Na2CO3 + Ca(OH)2 → CaCO3 + 2NaOH
Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitate is removed by filtering, and the solution is used to make paper, soap, and detergents.
Utilization of Sodium Hydroxide-NaOH
It is a component in detergents and soaps.
It is used to make bleach-like chlorine.
It is a component in drain cleaners.
It is utilised by the municipal water treatment facility to remove heavy metals from the water.
It is used in food preservatives to inhibit the formation of germs and mold.
It is used in the canning process.
It is utilised in the paper manufacturing and recycling processes.
Sodium Hydroxide’s Health Hazards
Exposure to excessively high concentrations of sodium hydroxide can cause serious burns to the eyes, skin, digestive system, or lungs, resulting in lifelong damage or death.
The nose, throat, lungs, and bronchial system’s mucous membranes may be affected. Even minute dosages have the potential to cause considerable damage.
Causes skin irritation and eye damage. Irritation of the respiratory tract. Irritation of the nasal mucous membranes.
Avoid contacting your eyes, skin, or clothing. Inhalation of gases, fumes, dust, mist, vapour, or aerosols is not recommended. Wear protective eyewear, gloves, and clothing. Additional information is available in Section 8. Acids and bases should not be combined. When handling chemical chemicals, refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, or using personal care items.
Usage Of Sodium Hydroxide
While Figure 1 depicts global sodium hydroxide usage, the proportion differs between each country. In the United States, for example, the production of aluminium accounts for only 3% of total output, while organic chemicals account for 35%, reflecting the country’s industrial makeup.
Figure 1 shows how sodium hydroxide is employed in a variety of sectors. Scrubbing gases to remove acids before releasing them into the open environment is a common practice. Consider the gases produced by the combustion of fossil fuels, which contain significant amounts of sulphur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide can be trapped in a variety of ways, one of which is washing the gases with a solution of sodium and calcium hydroxides. This method is also utilised in refining operations like bauxite purification.
2)Sodium hydroxide is used to purify the ore bauxite before it is used to manufacture aluminium. Purified bauxite is unloaded from a ship in Iceland on its route to an aluminium extraction factory in this photo.Another important application of sodium hydroxide is the production of wood-based paper. Wood is treated with a solution comprising a mixture of sodium sulphide and sodium hydroxide in the Kraft procedure, which is the most often used. The majority of the undesirable components of the wood, such as lignins, dissolve in the liquor, leaving relatively pure cellulose to be filtered out. This cellulose is what is used to make paper once it has been purified further.
Other applications include the manufacture of surfactants, soaps, and bleaches, the latter of which is commonly accomplished by introducing chlorine gas into a sodium hydroxide solution, resulting in a solution containing sodium chlorate(I) (sodium hypochlorite
Conclusion
As we conclude that soaps, rayon, paper, explosives, colours, and petroleum products are all made with sodium hydroxide. It can also be used for cotton fabric processing, metal cleaning and processing, oxide coating, electroplating, and electrolytic extraction, among other things.
