A Study of the Sodium-Hydrogen-Oxygen System.
Abstract
The sodium-hydrogen-oxygen system has been investigated in continuation of the study of impurities in liquid metals. Sodium metal reacts with sodium hydroxide at temperatures above 300 degrees C to form sodium monoxide and sodium hydride. If the reaction is initiated in vacuo, hydrogen will be liberated to the extent of the dissociation pressure of sodium hydride at temperatures below 385 degrees C. If this hydrogen is not removed from the reaction zone, and if the temperature is raised beyond 385 degrees C, an equilibrium is established which does not follow the dissociation pressure diagram for sodium hydride. This new equilibrium appears to be related to the solubility of the reaction products in sodium metal and in sodium hydroxide. The 'keystone' of the equilibrium appears to be the fusion temperature of the melt which, in turn, is determined principally by the ratio of sodium monoxide to sodium hydroxide. Data are presented showing that the dissociation of sodium hydride is suppressed by an inert gas blanket. It is indicated that sodium hydride must vaporize or sublime before it will dissociate. It is further shown that sodium hydride in solution is quite stable, even in vacuo at temperatures well above those at which the hydride should be dissociated. Data for the potassium-hydrogen-oxygen system are entirely different from that reported for the corresponding sodium system. The difference could well be related to a higher solubility of the reaction products in the reactants.(Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1952
- Accession Number
- ADA079998
Entities
People
- Dale D. Williams
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory