Anyone tried making sodium metal?

[Jehu]

[mos68x]

I'm not sure about the reducing NaOH or KOH down to the metals by fire, but I think it would be a bad idea.

However, I KNOW that it would be a bad idea to have these two raw metals sitting around since any contact with water/moisture results in rather violent explosions.

[Jehu]

Sorry, I think you may have misunderstood what I said.

First melt the NaOH or KOH so it it is liquid, THEN run current through the molten NaOH. That's how the metal obtained anyway. Sometimes they just use raw current to get the NaOH hot enough to melt but that needs alot of amps. Melting it first doesn't.

Metallic sodium or potassium is safe if you store it in mineral oil.

[chemelec]

Here is some Info on this From Two of my Chemistry Books.

Note: The Addition of Calcium Chloride to Lower the required Melting Temperature.

600 Degrees Celsus is 1112 Degrees Fahrenheit.
PRETTY DARN HOT!

[Jehu]

Hey Chemelec. Thanks for the info. That's pretty much what I thought was going on with the process but I had no idea that CaCl reduces the melting temp. I must remember that. I've been collecting all the ash for our fire place so I should be able to make some CaCl by reacting the ash with some HCl......after I've leeched the potassium carbonate out of it first.

[chemelec]

[Jehu]

[chemelec]

[Jehu]

[chemelec]

[Jehu]

[chemelec]