Sodium hydroxide also known as caustic soda belongs to the category of inorganic compounds is highly soluble in water. It is a corrosive white crystalline solid that freely absorbs moisture from air until dissolved. Its molecular formula is NaOH, molar mass is 39.997 g/mol, and density is 2.13 g/cm³.
In industrial, NaOH is a commonly used as strong base. It is used to make sodium salts and detergents, as well as for pH control and organic synthesis. It is usually handled in bulk as an aqueous solution because solutions are cheap and easy to handle.
How to store sodium hydroxide?
Most sodium hydroxide is packaged in plastic containers which is made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE). To avoid water and/or CO2 adsorption, solid form of NaOH should be stored in airtight containers with limited atmospheric exposure. When not in use, make sure the container is tightly sealed and airtight. When not in use, make sure the container is tightly sealed and airtight.
What happens when NaOH is left in an open container?
Sodium hydroxide pellets absorb water from the air so rapidly that they melt if exposed in the open, hence it need to be covered.
Where should NaOH solution be stored?
Plastic containers should be used to store sodium hydroxide stock solutions, glass containers should be avoided. To avoid the formation of carbonate in volumetric NaOH solutions, they should be kept away from air.
Why standardized NaOH should be kept in a stoppered bottle?
When atmospheric carbon dioxide comes into contact with the stored NaOH, it reacts to form carbonic acid, therefore, the base concentration decreases. To avoid contact with ambient carbon dioxide, NaOH should be stored in a closed bottle.
Why is a plastic bottle generally preferred to a glass bottle to store NaOH?
The fact that Na2CO3 is also a component of glass is one reason for this. As a result, the Sodium carbonate formed in the air by the reaction of NaOH and CO2 can initiate crystallization on the Na2CO3 in the glass, thus creating a bonding between stopper and bottle.
The given reaction is that NaOH reacts with CO2 to form Na2CO3, and if a glass stopper is used, it will be tightly stuck. By the reaction
2NaOH (aq) + CO2 (g) -> Na2CO3(s) + H2O (l).
There are Teflon sleeves for standardized conical glass stoppers as well as conical plastic stoppers, which prevent this.
How long can you store NaOH solution?
When stored correctly in a dark, cool environment, sodium hydroxide solution has a shelf life of approximately 30 days.
Can we store NaOH in aluminum container?
NaOH cannot be stored in a vessel made with aluminum (Al) or zinc (Zn), because hydrogen gas is produced (redox reaction occurs) when sodium hydroxide reacts with aluminum from sodium metalluminate. In the reaction between sodium hydroxide and metals, hydrogen atoms undergo reduction.
Why does glass not react with acid?
Because glass has a very robust and stable atomic structure, it is unaffected by acid. Due to its strong chemical bonds, the most common material in glass, silicon dioxide, is a particularly non-reactive substance, making glass very resistant to most acids. Glass is resistant to most acids, however is susceptible to attack by alkaline substances, particularly the concentration of OH- ions which gives a pH greater than 09.00.
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