The miracles of science™

Select Industry
Reactive Metals Solutions Home
Products & Services
Uses & Applications
Sales & Support
Technical Information
CONTACT US
Printer Friendly Version
DuPont Products & Services
DuPont Brands & Trademarks

Technical Information

To request technical bulletins and MSDS sheets on Sodium or Sodium Methylate, contact Vonda R. Lee by e-mail or call 1-800-441-9408.

Sodium Properties

Physical   
Atomic Weight 22.99
Melting Point, °C   97.8 
Boiling Point, °C  881.4 
Heat of Fusion,cal/g  27.0 
Heat of Fusion,kJ/kg   113.0 
Volume Increase on Melting,%  2.7 
Heat of Vaporization,cal/g  926 
Heat of Vaporization,MJ/kg  3.87 
Auto-ignition Temperature, °C  120-125 
Auto-ignition Temperature, °F  248-257 
Critical Temperature, °K  2733 
Critical Pressure, Atm   408 
Critical Volume, cm³/gm mol  0.128 
Electrode Potential,v  2.72 
Ionization Potential,v   5.12 
Density,g/cm³  0.968-0.927 
Viscosity,cP  0.71 
Surface Tension,dyne/cm(mN/m)  192 
Thermal Conductivity,W/m °K  132.3-87.0 
Electrical Resistivity, µm/m  469-964 
Specific Heat,cal/gm °C  0.290-0.331 
Chemical Reactions 

Reacts with Alcohols forming Sodium Alkylates

Reacts with Halides to form Halide Salt

Reacts with Water forming Hydrogen (very reactive) gas & Caustic Soda

Forms Complexes with Naphthalene, Phenols, Ammonia etc.

Catalyst for Organic Hydrogenations

Alloys with Lead, Aluminum, Potassium(NaK) 

Reacts with Ammonia to form Sodamide
Typical Sodium Intermediates 

Alkylates

Amides 

Dispersions Oxides & Peroxides 

Hydride

Sodium Methylate Product Specifications

Sodium methylate is a compound in which sodium metal is attached to a methyl group by an oxygen atom. It is derived from direct reaction of sodium metal with methanol under inert gas. This reaction is quite exothermic and also releases the hydroxyl hydrogen off-gas according to the reaction:

 

 

The catalyst contains no water and is shipped in a methanol solution. DuPont provides sodium methylate in 25 percent and 30 percent solutions.

Quality Parameters 

DuPont Specification 

Typical Analysis 
CAS# 124-41-4 – 25% / 30%
CAS# 67-56-1 – 75% 		 UN No. 1289   
Sodium Methylate  25% minimum 24.5%
30%-minimum 29.5%  		 24.8%
29.8% 
Total Alkalinity  minimum 24.9%   24.9%  
Equiv. Caustic  maximum .40%  0.10%  
Chlorides  maximum 4 ppm   2.0 ppm  
Carbonates  maximum .10%  0.08%  
Suspended Solids  clear  clear 
Mercury  maximum 40 ppb  5 ppb  

 

 

 

 

PACKAGING - Tank car, tank truck, drums