Uses of Sodium Metal

Sodium is one of the most abundant elements distributed in nature in the form of its different compounds. It is a soft, silvery-white metal. It's malleable and ductile, yet it doesn't have any tensile strength.

Common Uses

With other metals, sodium gives rise to alloys and amalgam with mercury. It's a good conductor of heat and electricity. The metal is unaffected by dry air, but it's readily tarnished in moist air with the formation of its oxides, hydroxide and carbonate.

Use of Alloy

An alloy of sodium and potassium--which is liquid at room temperatures--is useful for high temperature thermometers and also as a heat-exchanger in a power reactor.

Use of Amalgam

Both the sodium metal and its amalgam are employed as powerful reducing agents in the synthesis of organic compounds and in the aniline dye industry. Sodium is also used in the detection of organic compounds.

Sodium Lamp

Sodium also finds application in illumination engineering and in sodium vapor discharge lamps. Sodium wires are used as drying agents for benzene. Sodium is largely converted into peroxide and cyanide.

Other Uses

Large quantities of sodium are utilized in the manufacturing of several dyes, drugs and perfumes. The metal finds application in the extraction of magnesium, aluminum, boron and silicon.

References

• CRC handbook of chemistry and physics‎; David R. Lide, 1993
• Sodium; Michele Thomas, 2005