Sodium carbonate chemical formula is Na2CO3, the common name of soda ash, soda, alkali, washing alkali, under normal circumstances for white powder, a strong electrolyte. The density is 2.532g/cm3, the melting point is 851°C, easily soluble in water, with the commonness of salt, is a weak acid salt, slightly soluble in anhydrous ethanol, insoluble in propanol, soluble in water after hydrolysis reaction, making the solution alkaline, has a certain corrosion, can neutralize with acid, generate the corresponding salt and release carbon dioxide. It decomposes at high temperatures to form sodium oxide and carbon dioxide. Long-term exposure to the air can absorb water and carbon dioxide in the air, generate sodium bicarbonate, and form hard. It is very hygroscopic, easy to form hard, and does not decompose at high temperatures. Sodium carbonate and water form Na2CO3·10H2O, Na2CO3·7H2O, and Na2CO3·H2O three kinds of hydrates, among which Na2CO3·10H2O is the most stable, and the solubility heat in water is very small. Used in the photographic industry, its trade name is carbon oxygen. Na2CO3·10H2O is also known as crystal alkali, which is easily weathered in dry air, and crystal alkali was often used for household washing and wool washing before, so it is also known as "washing alkali". In the past, our people used to use both laundry and dough "block alkali", which was made with soda ash and a lot of water (plus some baking soda (NaHCO3)), and its water content was more than 50%. Sodium carbonate is endothermic when dissolved in water and easily weathered in air. Na2CO3·7H2O is unstable and can only be precipitated from sodium carbonate saturated solution in the range of 32.5 ~ 36℃. Sodium carbonate is a weak acid and a strong alkali salt (soda ash is a salt, not a base, but the solution is strongly alkaline). Na2CO3 produced by chemical methods is purest than trona, so people call it "soda ash".

In production and life, sodium carbonate is used to make pastry, make sodium hydroxide, etc., or as a recipe for a variety of detergents. Water purification uses it as a softener. In the industrial soda ash, mainly light industry, building materials, chemical industry, accounting for about 2/3; It is followed by metallurgy, textiles, petroleum, national defense, medicine and other industries. The glass industry is the largest consumer of soda ash, consuming 0.2 tons of soda ash per ton of glass. Chemical industry for the production of water glass, sodium bichromate, sodium nitrate, sodium fluoride, baking soda, borax, trisodium phosphate and so on. Metallurgical industry is used as smelting flux, flotation agent for beneficiation, steel and antimony smelting as desulfurization agent. Printing and dyeing industry used as water softener. The tannery industry is used for degreasing raw skin, neutralizing chrome tanning leather and improving the alkalinity of chrome tanning liquor. It is also used to produce synthetic detergent additives sodium tripolyphosphate and other sodium phosphate salts. Edible grade soda ash is used in the production of MSG, pasta, etc.

Application:

1 One of the basic chemical raw materials, widely used, is an important raw material for glass, soap, detergent, textile, leather, spices, dyes, drugs and so on.

2 Used as an analytical reagent, it is also used in the pharmaceutical industry and photographic plate making.

3 Widely used in glass products, chemicals, papermaking, metallurgy, medicine, textile and food industries.

4 Special reagent for color TV.

5 Used in the food industry, as a neutralizer, leavening agent, such as the manufacture of amino acids, soy sauce and flour food such as steamed bread, bread, etc. It can also be mixed into alkali water and added to pasta to increase elasticity and ductility.

6 As a detergent for wool rinsing, bath salts and medicinal use, alkali in tanning leather.

7 Most of them are used in industry, and a small part is for civil use. In the industrial soda ash, mainly light industry, building materials, chemical industry, accounting for about 2/3: followed by metallurgy, textile, petroleum, national defense, medicine and other industries. The glass industry is a major consumer of soda ash, with soda ash consumption of O.2t per ton of glass. Chemical industry for the production of water glass, sodium bichromate, sodium nitrate, sodium fluoride, baking soda, borax, trisodium phosphate and so on. Metallurgical industry is used as smelting flux, flotation agent for beneficiation, steel and antimony smelting as desulfurization agent. Printing and dyeing industry used as water softener. The tannery industry is used for degreasing raw skin, neutralizing chrome tanning leather and improving the alkalinity of chrome tanning liquor. It is also used to produce synthetic detergent additives sodium tripolyphosphate and other sodium phosphate salts.

8 As a buffer, neutralizer and dough improver, it can be used in pastry and noodle food, according to the production needs of appropriate use.

9 Mainly used for float glass, picture tube glass, optical glass and so on. It can also be used in other departments such as chemical industry and metallurgy. The use of heavy soda ash can reduce the flying of alkali dust, reduce raw material consumption, improve working conditions, but also improve product quality, while reducing the erosion of alkali powder on refractory materials, extend the service life of the kiln.

10 Basic chemical raw materials, widely used in medicine, paper, metallurgy, glass, textile, dyes and other industries.

11 Basic chemical raw materials, widely used in medicine, paper, metallurgy, glass, textile, dyes and other industries, as food industry starter.

12 Used as analytical reagent, dehydrating agent, battery additive, etc.