Making Sodium Metal - Sodium Extraction

I have dedicated a page on my website to further explain this reaction:
http://www.grassrootsdiy.com/sodium.htm

The reaction is as follows: 2Mg + 2NaOH = 2MgO + 2Na + H2

This is my new process of reacting NaOH and Mg in a water cooled soup can for creating elemental sodium. I also show a far from perfect extraction process to remove the sodium from the slag. It accomplishes its purpose, however inefficiently.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• How
• to
• make
• sodium
• water
• explosion
• oops
• put
• my
• eye
• out

[yellowmetalcyborg]

To separate out the sodium, could you just take the reaction mixture immerse it into a high density oil and heat it up to get the sodium to melt and float to the top where you can retrieve it?

[Nighthawkinlight]

@yellowmetalcyborg I have seen others retrieve it that way, but have not attempted it myself.

[JimBoopLoop]

have you found any new ways to separate the sodium since?

[Nighthawkinlight]

@JimBoopLoop I have not done very many more experiments since making this video, but I have seen others who have been able to melt the sodium from the slag under brake fluid.

[Nighthawkinlight]

@Gicopiro No.

[Gicopiro]

an other question.. where did you get the magnesium powder?

[koo2299]

You are just like me lol

[Xetreaux]

1:35 redneck moment.

[mrawesomesause1]

so the mixture is sodium and magnesium powder, when you burn it, it will mix. then you collect the mixture ingots,put them in water and retrieve what sodium is left

[chsxtian]

@bmeyer2011 the pieces in the video are not touching water, so they won't react as heavily, but when you throw them into the water, it will explode for sure.

[b1gf4tn00b]

heh heh heh ow GOD!

[bmeyer2011]

The sodium experiments I had in high school chemistry were much more powerful. It actually exploded when we put a piece comparable to what this video shows. Created a mushroom cloud actually.

[PunksOfNature]

Dude, can you come over to the UK and be my science teacher? ^_^

[AwesomeMegaBalls]

Finger condoms!

[Macemack]

Man, you make backyard scientists feel good, knowing that this is basically what they are doing to get kicks throughout the day. Lets hope the neighbors havent called the cops on you yet.