Extracting Sodium from Salt

[jackson33]

one of the largest magnesium producers in the US, is just outside SLC Utah. one by product of this production is pure salt. which is cobbled up by Morton.

i have been there and hauled many truck loads to many places, but do not recall there affiliation. you might google mag producers or the element and get better results....

[Runninfarmer]

I'm curious, so to make sodium do you mix NaCl with K2SO4 and water and then electrolyze it? WHat is produced at the anode if sodium is produced at the cathode? What happens to the SO4 ion?

[woelen]

NO NO!!! How many times this is written already????

 

Remember: SODIUM CANNOT BE MADE FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION.

 

Another time: SODIUM CANNOT BE MADE FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION.

 

Got it???

 

 

If you want to make sodium, then you have to work with molten salts, or maybe with mercury, making amalgams. But those are not the things to do at home.

[woelen]

Now the other part. Electrolysis of sulfate usually gives oxygen at the anode. But under certain conditions (relatively low pH, very high current density at anode), peroxosulfate can be formed.

 

The mechanism is believed to be as follows:

 

HOSO3(-) - e --> HOSO3• (• means radical)

 

2HOSO3• --> HOSO2-O-O-O2SOH

 

The latter is peroxodisulphuric acid, H2S2O8, which is used to make persulfates, such as Na2S2O8 and K2S2O8 (these can be purchased as PCB-etchants, as alternative for the FeCl3-based etchants).

 

The acid cannot be isolated, but salts of the acid, esp. the potassium-, sodium-, and ammonium salts are quite stable and are very strong, but somewhat sluggish, oxidizers.

[Runninfarmer]

Listen here woelen, I was interpreting what weknowthewor said in this above post jerk,

using the process of electrolysis, if u use solution of patassium sulphate, sodium gets collected at -ve electrode as clorine reacts with patassium 2 form KCL

 

This is why I asked if this was true because I didn't know, maybe I misinterpereted the above post. You clearly didnt read the posts above mine.

 

GOT IT!!!!!!

[DerekO]

Last night I successfully extracted sodium from salt using a blow torch and paperclip electrodes. The Bernzomatic propane blowtorches are hot enough to turn normal table salt into a liquid. But the sodium did ignite from the heat.

[YT2095]

the heat will not make the Sodium ignite at all.

I think you`ll find that even in sub zero temps sodium Will ignite when exposed to the Cl2 liberated at the Anode however

[recursive]

Initially, NaOH at the cathode and chlorine at the anode. the NaOH diffuses across and then reacts with the Cl2 to give NaClO.

This can also get oxidised to NaClO3 etc. Of course, all this presumes that your electrodes are inert.

Overall you get quite a mixture, but no sodium.

You can make sodium by electrolysisng molten NaOH but I don't recommend doing that at home and the yield isn't very impressive because the stuff tends to catch fire as soon as you make it.

 

Yes, for the home chemist, simple advice : never leave your apparatus unattended. If you short your power source, then all hell will break loose. Especially with molten hydroxide or nacl...

[Mr.Chockuls]

one time, i melt it with potassium nitrate, it really melts at hight temperatures

[YT2095]

and likely decomposes to the nitrIte as well.

[Mr.Chockuls]

yes, but you can try to ignite the kno3 with a burning stick.

[Bunny56]

How about melting sodium formate (made from formic acid and sodium carbonate) - it melts at 253C which is doable. Electrolyze that and formic acid will be given off in gaseous form because of the temp.

 

Jes an idea

[battousai]

Sodium iodide dissolves in acetone (see here, here and here [under "Uses"]) From there, I assume one could just electrolyze the solution, and obtain sodium metal and iodine. However, I assume iodine would coat the +ve electrode, and thus slow or even stop electrolysis. So, one would have to constantly clean the electrode.