Soda ash - this stuff is certainly familiar to everyone and almost everyone knows at least a few examples of where it can be applied.The official name of the substance - sodium carbonate, formula - Na2CO3.Externally soda ash is a white powder, it may be represented in the form of granules of the same color.There is another name for this connection - soda ash, but on this occasion there should be no errors in the sense that it is not the one familiar to us in everyday life, soda.So it is also called, because obtaining the substance associated with the process - calcination - hydrated crystalline sodium at high temperature.
carbonic soda - one of the oldest known materials in the history of mankind.More artifacts of ancient Egypt contain information on the substance sodium carbonate, a formula which, of course, was written much later.Papyrus, we report that in Egypt, this compound was prepared from lakes, as well as ash obtained from incineration plants containing alkali.It should be noted that Egypt remains the largest producer and supplier of soda on the world market until the end of the XVII century, becoming the world's sea power, to Egypt joined Spain as the leading supplier of soda ash.Industrialization, development of new industries require increasing amounts of this precious substance, but because in 1775 on the initiative of the French Academy of famous encyclopedists organized an open competition for the development of an industrial process for producing carbonated soda.The winner of this "chemical events" has become a famous French pharmacist and experimental scientist Nicholas LeBlanc, who for the first time in 1792 was the industrial way of sodium carbonate, the formula of which it was written as Na2CO3.Employment Leblanc represented reacting substance of the preparation of sodium chloride with mixtures of natural chalk and sodium sulfate.The reaction produces a melt consisting of Na2C03 and CaS, from which water and leached with sodium carbonate, the substance formula - Na2CO3.
Leblanc method for a long time, has become a major industry.According to some researchers, the construction of plants for the production of soda led to the growth of urban agglomerations and the concentration of population in urban areas.Soda production and contributed to the development of other areas of the chemical industry, such as the production of sulfuric and nitric acids.
Development soda production contributed to the development of sources of raw materials for the production of iron pyrites, salt, saltpeter.
only half a century later at the Leblanc method originated opponent - ammonia soda production method.It was a step forward, required less labor, heat energy, raw materials, and as a result, is much cheaper.
This cheapening of production contributed to the emergence of such compounds as sodium, the preparation of which contributed to the expansion of its application in the form of a food product, now known under the name of the food additive E-500 - baking soda.
chemical properties of sodium carbonate as follows.The substance is hygroscopic, ie absorbs moisture very well, what is surely more than once, to make sure each.
In addition to water, it absorbs carbon dioxide, which is located in a part of the air.This should be taken into consideration when storing the substance.Character interactions soda liquids depends mainly on the level of humidity and temperature.
When heated, it breaks down compounds into carbon dioxide and monoxide.Soda is reacted with an acid, for example, sodium carbonate, hydrochloric acid resulting from the interaction between a form carbon dioxide.
Sodium carbonate is used in manufacturing glass, paints and varnishes, soaps and detergents.Its properties allow the use of this compound in the purification of oil, papermaking, the production of caustic soda and sodium salts.
