Description |
Sodium acetate trihydrate is the trihydrate sodium salt oaf acetic acid.
In the food industry, sodium acetate is used as an acidity regulator, emulsifier, and preservative. It can give potato chips a salt and vinegar flavor. In pharmaceutical industry, it is used for replenishing lost electrolytes, as a diuretic, and in reusable heating pads and hand warmers. Sodium acetate trihydrate can be used to neutralize the industrial mineral acids discharge. In the textile and synthetic rubber production, it is used to neutralize sulfuric acids, facilitate aniline dye take up, and protect aniline day. In the leather industry, it is used as a buffering agent for leather tanning. Furthermore, sodium acetate trihydrate is used as buffers in the production of cosmetics and petroleum products and in electroplating industry. |
Chemical Properties |
white to colourless crystals or powder |
Chemical Properties |
Anhydrous salt is a colorless crystalline solid; density 1.528 g/cm3; melts at 324°C; very soluble in water; moderately soluble in ethanol. The colorless crystalline trihydrate has a density 1.45 g/cm3; decomposes at 58°C; is very soluble in water; pH of 0.1M aqueous solution is 8.9; moderately soluble in ethanol, 5.3 g/100mL. |
Uses |
Sodium acetate is a mordant in dyeing. Other applications are in photography, as an additive to food, in purification of glucose, in preservation of meat, in tanning, and as a dehydrating agent. In analytical chemistry it is used to prepare buffer solution. |
Uses |
Used as buffers. |
Preparation |
Sodium acetate is prepared by reacting sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate with acetic acid in aqueous solution. The solution is evaporated to obtain hydrated crystals of sodium acetate.
NaOH + CH3COOH → CH3COONa + H2O
Na2CO3 + CH3COOH → 2CH3COONa + CO2 + H2O |