Sodium hydroxide
From HvWiki
Sodium Hydroxide, also known as Lye, Caustic Soda and NaOH is a strong base that dissolves readily in water. It’s one of the cheapest and most readily available laboratory reagents and is present in many common products.
Contents |
Chemistry
Sodium Hydroxide is an alkali metal hydroxide consisting of an ionic bond between a sodium cation and a hydroxide anion. The hydroxide ion readily accepts protons, causing sodium hydroxide to function as a strong base. 111g of sodium hydroxide can dissolve in 100g of water at STP.
Safety
Sodium hydroxide readily dissolves tissue in high concentrations, so eye and skin contact should be avoided at all costs. Always wear safety glasses, gloves and lab coat when handling. Sodium hydroxide can react violently when mixed with strong acids in high concentrations; avoid mixing concentrated acids and bases together.
Uses
- Reagent to raise the pH of a solution.
- Increasing the conductivity of water. (See: Electrolysis of water)
- Dissolving organic matter.
- Neutralizing acids (Warning - releases extreme heat).
Obtaining Sodium Hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide is available as Lye crystals at most hardware stores; purity is good enough for most applications. High purity sodium hydroxide can be mail-ordered from most chemical suppliers. Sodium hydroxide can also be found in many drain cleaners, sometimes with Sodium Hypochlorite. Buying sodium hydroxide can sometimes arouse suspicion, as it’s the preferred reagent in clandestine methamphetamine synthesis.
