nannah
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How to make Na2CO3 from NaHCO3?
Hi, i wanted to know what the procedure for preparation of Na2CO3 (sodium carbonate) by decomposing NaHCO3 (baking soda) at its melting point, 50°C.
I was just in the kitchen making dinner, and i started thinking about the baking soda we have in the cabinet. I googled it and read what wikipedia had
to say.
Lately i have bought several desiccants and other basic chemicals, like Na2CO3. Im sure that i can get away with a better price in the end if i make
it myself.
This probably sounds ridiculously simple to you guys, but im not a chemist by any means, so this is at my level. 
Can it be so simple that i just dissolve some NaHCO3 in a solution, and heat it to 50°C for a while. Then filter it, and lets it dry?
Thanks in advance.
[Edited on 7-10-2014 by nannah]
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careysub
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Quote: Originally posted by nannah  | Hi, i wanted to know what the procedure for preparation of Na2CO3 (sodium carbonate) by decomposing NaHCO3 (baking soda) at its melting point, 50°C.
I was just in the kitchen making dinner, and i started thinking about the baking soda we have in the cabinet. I googled it and read what wikipedia had
to say.
Lately i have bought several desiccants and other basic chemicals, like Na2CO3. Im sure that i can get away with a better price in the end if i make
it myself.
This probably sounds ridiculously simple to you guys, but im not a chemist by any means, so this is at my level.
Can it be so simple that i just dissolve some NaHCO3 in a solution, and heat it to 50°C for a while. Then filter it, and lets it dry?
Thanks in advance.
[Edited on 7-10-2014 by nannah] |
It is quite easy to do, but this isn't the way.
It will decompose with dry heat, and for a reasonable reaction rate it needs to be well above the boiling point of water (which is actually convenient
- H2O is released as it decomposes, the powder stays dry and does not clump).
I make sodium carbonate by spreading bicarbonate in across a shallow pan and baking it at the top rack of an over at maximum temperature (500 F, about
250 C).
It takes a couple of hours - and you can tell when you are done by when the weight stops dropping (or you can precalculate the final weight and take
it out as soon as you hit it).
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Mailinmypocket
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You need to heat the baking soda dry, in an oven at around 200c for a couple hours. There are lots of procedures basically saying the same thing:
http://naturesnurtureblog.com/2012/05/08/ttt-turn-baking-sod...
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