Sodium Oxide Information
Sodium oxide (SOX) is a chemical compound with the formula Na2O. It is used in ceramics and glasses, though not in a raw form. Treatment with water affords sodium hydroxide.
- Na2O + H2O → 2 NaOH
The alkali metal oxides M2O (M = Li, Na, K, Rb) crystallise in the antifluorite structure. In this motif the positions of the anions and cations are reversed relative to their positions in CaF2, with sodium ions tetrahedrally coordinated to 4 oxide ions and oxide cubically coordinated to 8 sodium ions.[1][2]
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Preparation
Sodium oxide is produced by the reaction of sodium with sodium hydroxide, sodium peroxide, or sodium nitrite:[3]
- 2 NaOH + 2 Na → 2 Na2O + H2
- Na2O2 + 2 Na → 2 Na2O
- 2 NaNO2 + 6 Na → 4 Na2O + N2
Most of these reactions rely on the reduction of something by sodium, whether it is hydroxide, peroxide, or nitrite.
Burning sodium in air will produce Na2O and about 20% sodium peroxide Na2O2.
- 6 Na + 2 O2 → 2 Na2O + Na2O2
Applications
Glass making
Sodium oxide is a significant component of glasses and windows although it is not added in the form of Na2O nor do discrete sodium oxide components exist in glasses, which are complex crosslinked polymers. Typically, glass contains around 15% sodium oxide, the other components being silica (silicon dioxide) and lime (calcium oxide) at around 70% and 9%, respectively. The soda serves as a flux to lower the temperature at which the silica melts. Soda glass has a lower melting temperature vs pure silica, which is very difficult to melt, and has improved mechanical properties due to its slight increases in elasticity. These changes arise because the silicon dioxide and soda react to form sodium silicates of the general formula Na2[SiO2]x[SiO3].
- Na2CO3 → Na2O + CO2
- Na2O + SiO2 → Na2SiO3
References
- ^ Zintl, E.; Harder, A.; Dauth B. (1934), "Gitterstruktur der oxyde, sulfide, selenide und telluride des lithiums, natriums und kaliums", Z. Elektrochem. Angew. Phys. Chem. 40: 588–93
- ^ Wells, A.F. (1984) Structural Inorganic Chemistry, Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-855370-6.
- ^ Greenwood, N. N.; & Earnshaw, A. (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd Edn.), Oxford:Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-7506-3365-4.
External links
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Categories: Oxides | Sodium compounds | Common oxide glass components |
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