What are the main uses of Sodium fluoride?
Sodium fluoride is an important chemical with a wide range of uses. In the metallurgical industry, it is often used as a melting aid. Because sodium fluoride can reduce the melting point of ore, promote the separation of metals and gangue, make the metallurgical process smoother, and improve metal purity and yield.
In the glass manufacturing industry, sodium fluoride is also indispensable. It can change the physical properties of glass, such as enhancing the hardness and chemical stability of glass, making glass products more durable, and reducing the tendency of glass to crystallize, improving its transparency and uniformity.
Furthermore, in the field of chemical synthesis, sodium fluoride is an important raw material and catalyst. Many organic synthesis reactions rely on its participation, which can catalyze the progress of specific chemical reactions, guide the reaction to the desired direction, increase the reaction efficiency and selectivity, and is of great significance for the preparation of specialty chemicals and drugs.
In daily life, sodium fluoride contributes a lot to oral care. Many toothpastes contain sodium fluoride, which can react with hydroxyapatite on the surface of teeth to generate more acid-resistant fluoroapatite, which enhances the anti-caries ability of teeth and protects oral health.
In addition, in the field of wood preservation, sodium fluoride is also used. It can be used to treat wood to prevent wood from being eroded by microorganisms and insects, prolong the service life of wood, and has practical value in construction, furniture and other industries. Overall, sodium fluoride has important uses in various fields such as industry and daily life, with far-reaching implications.
Sodium fluoride effects on human health
Sodium fluoride, the impact on human health, although ancient has not been detailed, the research of today is quite clear.
Sodium is an essential element for the human body. Moderate sodium can maintain the osmotic pressure of extracellular fluids, maintain the fluid balance in the body, so that nerve impulses can be passed on smoothly, and muscle contractions are orderly. However, if ingested in excess, it is easy to raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart and vascular diseases. If the human body lacks sodium, it may suffer from fatigue, dizziness, nausea and other diseases.
Fluoride is closely related to human teeth and bones. Appropriate fluoride can strengthen the tooth bones. Fluoride enters the tooth enamel to form fluoroapatite, which increases the anti-acid power of teeth and prevents the birth of dental caries. In the bones, fluoride can promote the mineralization of the bone and maintain its normal structure and function. However, if there is too much fluoride, it is also harmful. Or cause fluorosis, the surface of the teeth appears chalk or yellow-brown spots, which damage the appearance and reduce the quality of the teeth. What's more, it can cause bone fluorosis, which causes bone pain, deformation, limited joint movement, and even disability.
It is necessary to have an appropriate amount of sodium fluoride in the human body. People should be careful about their diet and control the intake of sodium fluoride to maintain their health. If sodium fluoride is kept in its place and performs its duties, it will be healthy and less sick.
Sodium fluoride is used in industrial production
Sodium fluoride (i.e. sodium fluoride, $NaF $) is widely used in industrial production.
First, in the metallurgical industry, sodium fluoride is often used as a flux. For example, when smelting aluminum, adding sodium fluoride can reduce the melting point of alumina, reduce energy consumption, and improve production efficiency. This is because it can change the physical and chemical properties of the melt, making alumina more easily melted in the cryolite melt, for the purpose of electrolytic aluminum smelting.
Second, in the field of glass manufacturing, sodium fluoride also plays an important role. It can be used as an opacifier and a shading agent for glass. In the production of specific glass products, the addition of sodium fluoride can make the glass produce a milky effect, increase its beauty and practicality, such as art glass, lampshade glass, etc., with the help of sodium fluoride can produce unique visual effects.
Third, sodium fluoride has a significant effect on wood preservation. After treating wood with sodium fluoride solution, it can effectively prevent fungus and insect erosion and prolong the service life of wood. Because sodium fluoride can penetrate into the interior of wood, poison and kill microorganisms and insects that erode wood, it is widely used in wood application fields such as construction and furniture manufacturing.
Fourth, in chemical synthesis, sodium fluoride is often used as a fluorinating agent. In many organic synthesis reactions, it can provide fluoride ions to participate in fluorination reactions and synthesize fluorinated organic compounds. Such compounds have special properties and uses in the pharmaceutical, pesticide, material and other industries. For example, some new fluorinated drugs can be synthesized by the reaction of sodium fluoride.
In addition, in the electroplating industry, sodium fluoride can be used as an additive in electroplating solutions. It can improve the quality of the electroplating layer, make the coating more uniform and dense, and improve the corrosion resistance and wear resistance of the coating, which is crucial in the process of metal surface treatment.
What are the common preparation methods of Sodium fluoride?
Sodium and fluoride combine to form sodium fluoride. There are roughly three common methods for preparing it.
One is the method of neutralizing hydrofluoric acid and sodium hydroxide. The hydrofluoric acid is slowly injected into the sodium hydroxide solution, during which the acid-base indicator shows the end of the reaction. The reaction formula is: $HF + NaOH\ longrightarrow NaF + H_ {2} O $. This reaction is easy to control, and the product is relatively pure. However, hydrofluoric acid is highly corrosive. When operating, you must be careful and well-protected to prevent its injuries and corrosion.
Second, the method of reacting sodium carbonate with hydrofluoric acid. Sodium carbonate powder is gradually added to hydrofluoric acid, and carbon dioxide escapes. After the reaction is completed, sodium fluoride can be obtained by evaporation and crystallization. The reaction formula is: $2HF + Na_ {2} CO_ {3}\ longrightarrow 2NaF + H_ {2} O + CO_ {2}\ uparrow $. The raw material is easy to obtain in this way, but the carbon dioxide escapes during the reaction, or causes the solution to splash. The operation should be slow, and the carbon dioxide needs to be removed to avoid affecting the purity of the product.
Third, the method of direct combination of fluorine gas and sodium. Sodium is burned violently in fluorine gas to obtain sodium fluoride. The reaction formula is: $2Na + F_ {2}\ longrightarrow 2NaF $. This reaction is intense, a lot of heat is released, fluorine is highly toxic and active, and the operation must be carried out in a special device. Strict control conditions are required to ensure safety. However, the purity of the product is high.
Preparation of sodium fluoride, various methods have advantages and disadvantages. It should be used according to the required purity, cost, safety and many other factors.
Sodium fluoride storage and transportation need to pay attention to what
Sodium fluoride, that is, sodium fluoride, is toxic in nature, and many matters should not be ignored during storage and transportation.
When storing, the first environment is heavy. Must choose a dry, cool and ventilated place, away from direct sunlight. If covered in a humid place, sodium fluoride is easy to deliquescence, causing changes in quality; if exposed to the hot sun, or due to changes in temperature, it will cause poor transformation. And it should be stored separately from acids, edible chemicals, etc., and must not be mixed to prevent interaction and dangerous life.
In addition, the choice of container is also necessary. A sealed container must be used, which is sturdy to prevent leakage. The common ones are plastic drums, iron drums, etc. However, plastic drums are better because of their corrosion resistance. When using iron drums, it is necessary to check whether they have rust damage. If there is rust, or cause sodium fluoride to react with them and damage their quality.
As for the time of transportation, be sure to abide by relevant regulations. Transport personnel must be familiar with its nature, know its dangers, and prepare emergency equipment. When loading, load and unload lightly, do not damage the container. On the way, drive slowly to avoid bumps and vibrations to prevent leakage. And transport vehicles must have obvious warning signs, indicating that this is a dangerous thing. If sodium fluoride leaks during transportation, take emergency measures as soon as possible. Evacuate the surrounding people, set up a warning area, and prohibit unrelated people from entering. When disposing of leaks, operators must wear protective gear to prevent poisoning. Small leaks can be swept in a bag and placed in a safe place; large leaks must be embanketed and contained with suitable objects, and then properly handled.