The difference between caustic soda and soda ash

Soda ash and caustic soda are both highly alkaline chemical raw materials, both white solids with similar names, which are easily confused. In fact, soda ash is sodium carbonate (Na ₂ CO ₂), while caustic soda is sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and the two are not the same substance at all. From the molecular formula, it can also be seen that sodium carbonate belongs to salt, not alkali, because the aqueous solution of sodium carbonate is alkaline, also known as pure alkali. Below, we will elaborate on the differences between the two from several aspects.
The difference between soda ash and caustic soda
1. Differences in chemical names and formulas
Soda ash: chemical name sodium carbonate, chemical formula Na ₂ CO ₂.
Caustic soda: chemical name sodium hydroxide, chemical formula NaOH.
2. Differences in physical and chemical properties
Soda ash belongs to the salt category, and sodium carbonate containing ten crystal water is a colorless crystal. The crystal water is unstable and easily weathered, turning into a white powder of Na2CO3. It is a strong electrolyte, has salt permeability and thermal stability, is easily soluble in water, and its aqueous solution is alkaline.
Caustic soda is a highly corrosive strong alkali, usually in the form of flakes or particles, easily soluble in water (releasing heat when dissolved in water) and forming an alkaline solution. It also has deliquescence and is easy to absorb water vapor from the air.
3. Differences in purpose
Soda ash is one of the important chemical raw materials, widely used in light industry, daily chemical, building materials, chemical industry, food industry, metallurgy, textile, petroleum, national defense, medicine and other fields. It is used as a raw material for manufacturing other chemicals, cleaning agents, detergents, and also in the fields of photography and analysis. Next are metallurgy, textiles, petroleum, national defense, pharmaceuticals, and other industries. The glass industry is the largest consumer sector of soda ash, consuming 0.2 tons of soda ash per ton of glass. In industrial soda ash, the main industries are light industry, building materials, and chemical industry, accounting for about 2/3, followed by metallurgy, textiles, petroleum, national defense, medicine, and other industries.
Caustic soda is mainly used in the production of papermaking, cellulose pulp, soap, synthetic detergents, synthetic fatty acids, and refining of animal and plant fats. The textile printing and dyeing industry is used as a desizing agent, refining agent, and mercerizing agent for cotton fabrics. The chemical industry is used to produce borax, sodium cyanide, formic acid, oxalic acid, phenol, etc. The petroleum industry is used for refining petroleum products and in oilfield drilling mud. It is also used for surface treatment in the production of alumina, metallic zinc, and metallic copper, as well as in glass, enamel, leather making, pharmaceuticals, dyes, and pesticides. Food grade products are used in the food industry as acid neutralizers, can be used as peelers for citrus, peach, etc., can also be used as detergents for empty bottles, cans, and other containers, as well as decolorizers and deodorizers.
4. Appearance differences

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