Sodium carbonate, also known as caustic soda, soda ash, or alkali ash, is a salt substance and an important inorganic chemical raw material with a wide range of applications. Its presence can be seen in various fields such as construction, chemical engineering, metallurgy, and medicine. Let's take a look at the uses of sodium carbonate.
The glass industry is a major consumer sector of soda ash, consuming 0.2 tons of soda ash per ton of glass. Sodium carbonate is mainly used in the production of float glass, cathode ray tube glass shells, optical glass, flat glass, bottle glass, high-end vessels, etc.
The operating environment in the chemical and metallurgical industries is often poor, with cloudy air. The use of heavy soda ash can reduce the flying of alkali dust, reduce raw material consumption, improve working conditions, and improve product quality. At the same time, it can reduce the erosion effect of alkali powder on refractory materials and extend the service life of kilns.
Anhydrous sodium carbonate is used for chemical and electrochemical degreasing, electroless copper plating, aluminum etching, electrolytic polishing of aluminum and alloys, chemical oxidation of aluminum, sealing after phosphating, rust prevention between processes, electrolytic removal of chromium coatings and chromium oxide films, etc. It is also used in pre copper plating, steel plating, and steel alloy plating electrolytes.
When sodium carbonate is used in food industry, it can be used as neutralizer and leavening agent, such as manufacturing amino acid, soy sauce and flour products, such as Mantou and bread; It can also be mixed with alkaline water and added to noodles to increase elasticity and extensibility; Sodium carbonate can also be used to produce monosodium glutamate.
Although sodium carbonate has many uses and is an important raw material for production and daily life, it has weak irritants and corrosives, which pose certain hazards to the human body. Direct contact can cause skin and eye burns; Inhaling its dust and smoke can cause respiratory irritation and conjunctivitis, as well as nasal mucosal ulcers, atrophy, and nasal septum perforation; Long term exposure to its solution can lead to eczema, dermatitis, corns like ulcers, and skin laxity; Accidental ingestion can cause gastrointestinal burns, mucosal erosion, bleeding, and shock.
