Sodium

 

Sodium

Chemical formula	Na
Atomic Number	11
OTP appearance	silver solid
Molar Mass(g/mol)	23
Density(g/cc)	0.96
Melting Point(°C)	97.8
Boiling Point(°C)	883
NFPA 704	3 3 2 W

Chemically, sodium is very nearly potassium's twin. It is essential for all known organic life.

Uses

Primary

• Elemental sodium will isolate any other metal from that metal's chloride form.

  (The three exceptions are not on our abbreviated periodic chart: Rb Cs, and Fr)

Natural Sources

• Elemental sodium does not occur naturally.
• sodium carbonate occurs naturally in wood ash
• sodium chloride occurs naturally in salt water

Hazards

Sodium is toxic, caustic, and pyrophoric. Handle with care.

Production

Extraction

• Via electrolysis of liquid sodium chloride (cf. Downs cell)

  2 NaCl

  {

  →

  ~801°C; ~4.1v}

  2 Na + Cl₂

• Via electrolysis of liquid sodium hydroxide isolation of the sodium from air or the other materials is key.

  4 NaOH(l)

  {

  →

  ≥300°C}

  4 Na + 2 H₂O + O₂

• Via thermochemical magnesium displacement with dioxane separation

  2 NaOH + Mg

  {

  →

  480 °}

  Na•MgO + H₂ΔH=-349.8

  Na•MgO

  {dioxane

  →

  101°C}

  Na + MgO

• Via menthol-catalyzed magnesium displacement

  2 NaOH + Mg

  {menthol,mineral oil

  →

  200°}

  MgO + Na + H₂