Sodium carbonate (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, odourless, water-soluble salts that yield alkaline solutions in water. Historically, it was extracted from the ashes of plants grown in sodium-rich soils, and because the ashes of these sodium-rich plants were noticeably different from ashes of wood (once used to produce potash), sodium carbonate became known as “soda ash”.[12] It is produced in large quantities from sodium chloride and limestone by the Solvay process, as well as by carbonating sodium hydroxide which is made using the chloralkali process.
Soda ash light (sodium carbonate, Na₂CO₃) is a versatile chemical used in many industries, similar to soda ash dense but with different physical properties (lower bulk density and smaller particle size), making it more suited for specific applications. Here are the key industries that use soda ash light:
Soda ash light’s lower density and smaller particle size make it especially suited for industries that require fast dissolution and efficient chemical reactions, such as detergents, food processing, and water treatment. Its versatility across industries is due to its alkalinity, buffering capacity, and ability to control pH.
Chemical formula | Na2CO3 |
Molar mass | 105.9888 g/mol (anhydrous) |
| 286.1416 g/mol (decahydrate) |
Appearance | White solid, hygroscopic |
Odor | Odorless |
Density | 2.54 g/cm3 (25 °C, anhydrous) |
| 1.92 g/cm3 (856 °C) |
| 2.25 g/cm3 (monohydrate)[1] |
| 1.51 g/cm3 (heptahydrate) |
| 1.46 g/cm3 (decahydrate)[2] |
Melting point | 851 °C (1,564 °F; 1,124 K) (Anhydrous) |
| 100 °C (212 °F; 373 K) |
| decomposes (monohydrate) |
| 33.5 °C (92.3 °F; 306.6 K) |
| decomposes (heptahydrate) |
| 34 °C (93 °F; 307 K) |
| (decahydrate)[2][6] |
Solubility in water | Anhydrous, g/100 mL: |
| 7 (0 °C) |
| 16.4 (15 °C) |
| 34.07 (27.8 °C) |
| 48.69 (34.8 °C) |
| 48.1 (41.9 °C) |
| 45.62 (60 °C) |
| 43.6 (100 °C)[3] |
Solubility | Soluble in aq. alkalis,[3] glycerol |
| Slightly soluble in aq. alcohol |
| Insoluble in CS2, acetone, alkyl acetates, alcohol, benzonitrile, liquid ammonia[4] |
Solubility in glycerine | 98.3 g/100 g (155 °C)[4] |
Solubility in ethanediol | 3.46 g/100 g (20 °C)[5] |
Solubility in dimethylformamide | 0.5 g/kg[5] |
Acidity (pKa) | 10.33 |
Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | −4.1·10−5 cm3/mol[2] |
Refractive index (nD) | 1.485 (anhydrous) |
| 1.420 (monohydrate)[6] |
| 1.405 (decahydrate) |
Viscosity | 3.4 cP (887 °C)[5] |
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