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Send EmailSodium Carbonate, Light Soda, Washing Soda, Soda Ash, E500, 497-19-8
General Description
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Appearance: White, odorless, hygroscopic solid powder
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Chemical Name: Sodium Carbonate (E500), soda ash, washing soda, soda crystals
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Formula: Na₂CO₃
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CAS Number: 497-19-8
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Packaging: Typically supplied in 50 kg bags
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Properties:
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Sodium salt of carbonic acid
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Soluble in water, strongly alkaline taste
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Hygroscopic, absorbs moisture from air
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Exists in monohydrate and decahydrate crystalline forms
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Produced industrially via the Solvay process (from sodium chloride and limestone)
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Applications
| Industry | Use |
|---|---|
| Household & Laundry | Acts as a water softener; used for whitening fabrics, especially tulle. |
| Glass Manufacturing | Key raw material; combined with silica sand at high temperatures to produce glass. |
| Textile Industry | Used in reactive dyeing to fix the bond between dye and fiber. |
| Food Industry | Registered as E500 additive; functions as acidity regulator, anti-caking agent, stabilizer. Used in sherbet powder production. |
| Construction | Serves as a wetting agent in brick production, reducing water needed during extrusion. |
| Cosmetics & Oral Care | In toothpaste, acts as a foaming agent, increases mouth pH, and provides mild abrasion. |
Historical Note
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Traditionally obtained from the ashes of sodium-rich plants (seaweed, halophytes).
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The term “soda ash” originates from this practice.
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Modern large-scale production relies on the Solvay process, making sodium carbonate one of the most important industrial chemicals worldwide.
