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Uses of Sodium

- Manufacture field
- Production of other essential inorganic chemistry
- To melt ice and snow on highways and roads

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Extraction of Sodium

1. Down’s process: By the electrolysis of fused sodium chloride.

- Down – Is an American chemist J. C. Down. Then, the new technique is known after him, Down’s Process. (Mittal, Chemistry)

- It is an electrochemical method for the commercial method of metallic sodium.

- Based on the electrolysis of fused sodium chloride (NaCl)

- It consists of a rectangular container of steel

- In this process, sodium is extracted from molten NaCl. Then, it is mixed with calcium chloride (CaCl) in order to lower the NaCl melting points. These two elements are kept far apart by a steel gauze in the cell.

- It is related with electrolysis because when NaCl is melted above 801°C, there are two electrodes are inserted into the melt to let the electric current to pass through the molten salt. Thus the chemical reaction occurs on the electrodes.

- The current is flowing from the anode to the cathode which are separating the sodium from chlorine.

Mittal, A. (2007). Chemistry. India: APH Publishing.

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Extraction of Sodium

1. Castner’s process: By the electrolysis of fused caustic soda.

- In this process, molten sodium hydroxide is electrolysed using an iron cathode and nickel anode. The electrodes are prevented from touching other by a nickel wire gauze cylinder.

- On passing electric current through molten caustic soda, sodium is liberated at the cathode.

- Being lighter than fused caustic soda, liberated sodium metal floats over the surface and collects inside the receiving vessel where hydrogen prevents sodium from oxidation. Excess of the gas escaped out from the outlet.

-Sodium is removed from time to time with the help of perforated spoons. Oxygen is liberated at the anode and leaves the iron vessel. Sodium collected is kept under kerosene.

Then, various reactions takes place during electrolysis are dissociation.

NaOH à Na⁺ + OH⁻

-Most of the water formed in the reaction gets evaporated, and the rest is electrolysed into hydrogen and oxygen. Therefore, metallic sodium and hydrogen are liberated at the cathode and oxygen at the anode.

Cathode:
Na⁺ + e⁻à Na

Anode:
2OH⁻à ½ H ₂ O + ½ O ₂ + e⁻

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How it is treated to obtain the metal?

It is obtained by EXTRACTION.

The metal sodium was prepared in 1807 by an English chemist, Sir Humphery Davy by the electrolysis of fused caustic soda. The symbol Na has been derived from the Spanish word Natron.
Alkali metals are strong reducing agents and therefore, cannot be extracted by reducing their oxides or other compounds. Sodium in therefore, obtained by electrolytic reduction of their molten hydroxides or chlorides.

There are two methods used for extracting sodium metal are:
1. Castner’s process

2. Down’s process

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Physical properties of Sodium Ore

- It is a silvery-white with a waxy layer and it is soft enough to be cut by a knife. The surface is really bright and shiny when first cut, but it will change to dull as it reacts with oxygen in the air.
- It is an alkali metal.
- Have low densities than water.
- Indeed, it’s have low melting points (97.82°C) and boiling points (881.4°C) as compared to heavy metal. Thus, this metal sinks in water.
- Sodium actually have a slightly less density than water, it is 0.968 grams per cubic.
- A good conductor of electricity.
- It is malleable and ductile, with a very poor tensile strength.
- With mercury, it forms amalgam.

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Pictures of Sodium Ore