Sodium bicarbonate

 

Sodium bicarbonate

Chemical formula	NaHCO3
OTP appearance	white solid
Index of refraction	1.583
Molar Mass(g/mol)	84.007
Density(g/cc)	2.2
Solubility in water(g/L)	96
NFPA 704	0 0 1
Thermal Decomposition	Sodium bicarbonate 50°C sodium carbonate

Uses

Primary

• WHO LEM

Other

• Cooking: Leavening agent
• Cleaning agent
• Pharma: Cardiac/blood acidity treatment (IV, oral)
• Pharma: antacid
• Chemistry: buffer solutions

Natural occurrence

• Sodium bicarbonate occurs naturally as the mineral nahcolite.

Hazards

• LD₅₀ (rat, oral) 4.2g/kg
• Eye irritant

Production

Synthesis

Carbon dioxide

• Bubbling carbon dioxide through a solution of sodium carbonate precipitates sodium bicarbonate

  Na₂CO₃ + CO₂ + H₂O → NaHCO₃

Partial solvay

• Combine ammonium bicarbonate with sodium chloride, precipitating sodium bicarbonate

  NaCl(aq) + NH₄HCO₃

  {

  →

  cold}

  NH₄Cl(aq) + NaHCO₃(s)

Storage

Dry storage, below 50°C if possible. At 200°C decomp to sodium carbonate is rapid.

Disposal

• GRAS