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Author: Subject: Making Sodium Hydroxide (lye) ??
experimenter_
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[*] posted on 1-7-2016 at 14:30


Tried to heat baking soda in a canthal wire "furnace" for few minutes.
The soda melted. The pH after dissolving it in water was 14. It had the typical "oily" feeling of NaOH upon touching.

Added some acid and it fizzed. Obviously not all the soda was converted to NaOH; more time in the heat is required.

So, this reaction does work, at least qualitatively.
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[*] posted on 1-7-2016 at 15:05


I recently made a dilute solution of sodium hydroxide- by placing a steel can containing sodium carbonate on some coals in a fire and leaving it there for ~15 minutes, and then combining the contents of the can with water. The resulting solution was a fairly strong basic liquid which reacted with aluminum (slowly) to produce hydrogen (I did the classic "pop" test). There was obviously a lot of sodium carbonate contamination. I did this on a whim and I am planning to try again with actual measurements and a gas torch instead of a wood fire. I'll post any of my results.
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[*] posted on 1-7-2016 at 16:09


Concentrated sodium carbonate by itself will react with aluminum. There was likely little to no hydroxide present.



As below, so above.

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CharlieA
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[*] posted on 1-7-2016 at 17:52


Based on the Kb of carbonate ion ( l.8E-4), the pH would be 10. I don't think that you would need HO(-1) to get that pH. Good job confirming the evolution of H2, and not just assuming (you now what that means! :D) that the gas evolved was H2.
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[*] posted on 13-7-2016 at 10:50


A tangent:
I've read that both paper and Stiff Salty Gelatin can work for separating a NaOH electrolytic cell, as long as you change the Hydroxide-side water regularly to keep it from becoming too caustic.

These are readings, not practical experience. Would you like me to conduct an experiment?




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