Hydroxyl ion

[Ethereally Luminous]

If i dissolve Na2CO3 in water and distill the solution will the water that comes over have a higher concentration of hydroxyl ions. I know the best way to find an answer is to test the idea itself. I was just curious to know if there is any info out there about it.

[hypervalent_iodine]

You will produce some NaOH, yes. The other thing you will form is carbonic acid. When you distill it you'll release a little CO2 and your distilate will only be water.

[Ethereally Luminous]

Thanks, is there a catalyst of some sort to produce more NaOH and release more CO2?

[hypervalent_iodine]

I suppose you could make the solution weakly basic. This should push the equilibrium towards forming the bicarbonate ion, which then equilibrates with carbonic acid. A better way to make NaOH would be to combine Na₂CO₃ and Ca(OH)₂. I mean, it's not a particularly useful reaction for a kitchen set up because you need temperatures of about 825^oC to get CaCO₃ to precipitate (you'd essentially need a kiln or something similar).

 

Careful though. If you actually intend on making NaOH, you should read the appropriate MSDS's and take proper safety precautions (wear decent personal protective equipment, etc.). What is this for?

 

 

 

[John Cuthber]

"If i dissolve Na2CO3 in water and distill the solution will the water that comes over have a higher concentration of hydroxyl ions. "

Higher than what?

Anyway apart from some solution carried over as spray, the only stuff that will distil is water. In principle it will be neutral. In practice it will pick up a little CO2 from the air and become slightly acidic.

 

Hypothetically, the process of boiling will decompose some of the carbonate to CO2 and NaOH but the effect will be tiny. You can boil a solution of sodium carbonate and let it cool. What will crystallise out is the carbonate, not the hydroxide.

 

"is there a catalyst of some sort to produce more NaOH and release more CO2? "

No, sadly that's not what catalysts do. They can only affect the rate of a reaction, not the position of the equilibrium, and in this case, the equilibrium is very much in favour of carbonate.

(I say it's sad because it would solve the energy crisis if you found a catalyst that did that. It would breach the principle of the conservation of energy.)

[John Cuthber]

"If i dissolve Na2CO3 in water and distill the solution will the water that comes over have a higher concentration of hydroxyl ions. "

Higher than what?

Anyway apart from some solution carried over as spray, the only stuff that will distil is water. In principle it will be neutral. In practice it will pick up a little CO2 from the air and become slightly acidic.

 

Hypothetically, the process of boiling will decompose some of the carbonate to CO2 and NaOH but the effect will be tiny. You can boil a solution of sodium carbonate and let it cool. What will crystallise out is the carbonate, not the hydroxide.

 

"is there a catalyst of some sort to produce more NaOH and release more CO2? "

No, sadly that's not what catalysts do. They can only affect the rate of a reaction, not the position of the equilibrium, and in this case, the equilibrium is very much in favour of carbonate.

(I say it's sad because it would solve the energy crisis if you found a catalyst that did that. It would breach the principle of the conservation of energy.)

[John Cuthber]

"If i dissolve Na2CO3 in water and distill the solution will the water that comes over have a higher concentration of hydroxyl ions. "

Higher than what?

Anyway apart from some solution carried over as spray, the only stuff that will distil is water. In principle it will be neutral. In practice it will pick up a little CO2 from the air and become slightly acidic.

 

Hypothetically, the process of boiling will decompose some of the carbonate to CO2 and NaOH but the effect will be tiny. You can boil a solution of sodium carbonate and let it cool. What will crystallise out is the carbonate, not the hydroxide.

 

"is there a catalyst of some sort to produce more NaOH and release more CO2? "

No, sadly that's not what catalysts do. They can only affect the rate of a reaction, not the position of the equilibrium, and in this case, the equilibrium is very much in favour of carbonate.

(I say it's sad because it would solve the energy crisis if you found a catalyst that did that. It would breach the principle of the conservation of energy.)