Making a highly conc. NaOH solution

[NATT]

Guys I've got some caustic soda powder... and how can i make a kinda conc. solution of NaOH???

 

Can i make it by dissolving them with water till it saturates???

[DJBruce]

If you have pure NaOH in the caustic soda then yes simply dissolve it in water. Remember molarity is simply mols over volume. So calculate the number of mols caustic soda you use, and then divide it by the amount of water you use to dilute it.

 

I must warn you please be extremely extremely careful if you try to do this. The dissociation is highly exothermic and can cause burns if you are not careful. Also if you are creating a highly basic solution you can also receive a chemical burn so I urge you to follow proper lab protocol and be incredible careful if you try this.

[UC]

A saturated solution of NaOH in water consists of 111g of NaOH dissolved in 100mL of water. This solution is thick, attacks glass over time (forming silicates), and is air sensitive, precipitating Na2CO3 as it absorbs CO2 from the air. It will happily cause chemical burns and damage clothing.

 

Instead of a saturated solution, you may consider a 50%wt/wt solution, which is simply 100g of NaOH in 100mL of water. This is close to saturated and is comercially available.

 

Even if you start with crushed ice, adding this much NaOH rapidly will result in solution more than hot enough to burn you, which may boil. It will put off plenty of steam either way, which carries small droplets of caustic solution. If you dump it in all at once, it will solidify into a brick in the bottom of your container.

 

Wear gloves, goggles, and a lab coat (or at least a crummy shirt).

Start with ice water and have an ice bath prepared.

Slowly add the NaOH in portions to the water in a large erlenmeyer, swirling constantly.

Chill the solution between additions.

Store in an airtight HDPE container. Nalgene makes these if you're looking for a supplier. They are reasonably priced.

Edited August 13, 2009 by UC

[NATT]

& i wanna know... about that gadget used for mixing chemicals...with a king of piece rotating..... can we make that in our home?

[DJBruce]

& i wanna know... about that gadget used for mixing chemicals...with a king of piece rotating..... can we make that in our home?

 

At least in my lab experience a magnetic stirrer is used when a solution needs to stirred constantly, and no you could not build one easily at home. If a solution only needs to be mixed briefly, I use a glass stirring rob, which you could not make at home but could by at a local store. As a side note if you do but a glass stirring rob be careful that you either by a Pyrex one or are careful not to change the temperature of it quickly.

[NATT]

At least in my lab experience a magnetic stirrer is used when a solution needs to stirred constantly, and no you could not build one easily at home. If a solution only needs to be mixed briefly, I use a glass stirring rob, which you could not make at home but could by at a local store. As a side note if you do but a glass stirring rob be careful that you either by a Pyrex one or are careful not to change the temperature of it quickly.

 

Oh kind of factor.. Is it ok to stir NaOH using a glass rod :/

[UC]

Oh kind of factor.. Is it ok to stir NaOH using a glass rod :/

 

Well, it's in a glass beaker/erlenmeyer as it is, so yes. Just don't store it in glass.

[DJBruce]

Oh kind of factor.. Is it ok to stir NaOH using a glass rod :/

 

I really don't see why a glass stirring rod wouldn't work, but you might have to mix for a while. Also as I mention above be careful with glass that isn't Pyrex.

[NATT]

I really don't see why a glass stirring rod wouldn't work, but you might have to mix for a while. Also as I mention above be careful with glass that isn't Pyrex.

 

Pyrex pyrex pyrex ok.........

[tomy]

Yeah!you can make NaOH, by calculating its molarity which is equal to moles over volume.But one thing i will suggest that sodium is very reactive and it gives exothermic reactions.so, please be careful.Because it can cause burns or any other hazards.

[NATT]

At least in my lab experience a magnetic stirrer is used when a solution needs to stirred constantly, and no you could not build one easily at home. If a solution only needs to be mixed briefly, I use a glass stirring rob, which you could not make at home but could by at a local store. As a side note if you do but a glass stirring rob be careful that you either by a Pyrex one or are careful not to change the temperature of it quickly.

 

haha bro but i finally made it mann!!! Im so damn happy :D lol

 

 

Try n try, 1day u can fly