Characteristic

 

Sodium carbonate, Na₂CO₃, (also known as washing soda, soda ash and soda crystals) is the inorganic compound with the formula Na₂CO₃ and its various hydrates. All forms are white, water-soluble salts.

Chemical formula:Na₂CO₃·H₂O

Molar mass:124 g/mol

Appearance:White solid, hygroscopic

Odor:Odorless

Density :2.25 g/cm³

Melting point:100 °C

Solubility:Soluble in aq. alkalis, glycerol;Slightly soluble in aq. alcohol;Insoluble in CS2, acetone, alkyl acetates, alcohol, benzonitrile, liquid ammonia

Solubility in glycerine:98.3 g/100 g (155 °C)

Solubility in ethanediol:3.46 g/100 g (20 °C)

Solubility in dimethylformamide:0.5 g/kg

Basicity (pKb):3.67

Magnetic susceptibility (χ):−4.1·10⁻⁵ cm³/mol

Refractive index (nD):1.420

 

Application

 

Sodium carbonate monohydrate is widely employed as a water softener, an electrolyte, as a good conductor in electrolysis, as a primary standard for acid-base titrations and mostly as a buffer component in applications such as chromatography, capillary electrophoresis and enzyme catalysis. Also used in glass manufacture, detergent manufacture, sodium chemicals, carbonate chemicals manufacture, pulp and paper, brine treatment, flue gas desulfurization, coal treatment and ion exchange resin regeneration.