Sodium Acetate

Brief overview

Sodium acetate is the sodium salt of acetic acid with chemical formula is C₂H₃O₂Na. Sodium acetate is an ionic compound with all the common physical properties of ionic substances. Sodium acetate may be found as an anhydrous salt or a trihydrate. Sodium acetate is a cheap chemical with a wide range of uses.    

Manufacturing Process

Sodium acetate can be produced industrially by reacting large amounts of glacial acetic acid with sodium hydroxide, as seen in the following reaction.  

C₂H₄O₂ + NaOH → NaO₂CCH₃ + H₂O

Food Industry 

Sodium acetate is used as a food additive and added to food to help prevent bacterial growth. Sodium acetate can be used as a neutralizer for basic or alkaline foods and as a buffer to help maintain a specific pH. Sodium acetate can also enhance flavor, and there are no known adverse effects on human health. Sodium acetate is used as a seasoning in the food industry for salt and vinegar flavor.

Chemical Industry 

Sodium acetate neutralizes the sulphuric acid found in waste streams from textile industries. It is also used as a photoresist when aniline dyes are used. In the rubber industry, it delays the vulcanization of chloroprene in synthetic rubber. It acts as a sealant in concrete and lessens water permeation to prevent damage. It also helps remove stains, rust, and other impurities from metallic surfaces. 

Heating Pad

A flat, uneven metal disc is placed in the solution. A small amount of sodium acetate crystals is released when the disk moves. These crystals start a chain reaction of crystallization with the rest of the sodium acetate. This reaction is instantaneous, releasing a lot of energy stored in the sodium acetate crystal structure. The crystallization of sodium acetate is exothermic. This principle is used in heating pads. The heating pad is reusable since sodium acetate can return to a supersaturated liquid state when placed in boiling water and cooled to room temperature.