If you want to make sodium acetate, you can do it at home with just a few kitchen utensils. This salt can be a lot of fun and easy to use. With sodium acetate you can create "hot ice" and make sculptures with it. You can also put it in bags to use as reusable hand warmers. This process is relatively simple and cheap. You only need vinegar, baking soda, and a few dishes.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Create a Sodium Acetate Solution
Step 1. Pour vinegar into a skillet
Vinegar is a dilute acetic acid solution. This solution is composed mainly of water and between 3% and 7% of acetic acid. Acetic acid is a necessary ingredient to obtain sodium acetate. Pour 2.1 cups (500 milliliters) of vinegar into a skillet.
Whenever you are going to handle acids and bases (such as vinegar and bicarbonate) you should wear protective glasses and gloves
Step 2. Add the baking soda to the skillet
Baking soda is also known simply as baking soda or baking soda powder. This ingredient will provide the sodium needed to form sodium acetate. Slowly sprinkle about 35 g (7 tablespoons) of baking soda per 500 ml (2.1 cups) of vinegar.
Step 3. Stir the reaction
As you sprinkle baking soda over the vinegar, the solution will begin to bubble. This is due to the formation of carbon dioxide gas during the reaction. Use a glass rod or spoon to keep the reaction moving and prevent the bubbles from growing to overflowing.
- This is the reaction of vinegar with bicarbonate: NaHCO3 + CH3COOH - CH3COONa + CO2 + H2OR
Method 2 of 3: Boil Excess Water
Step 1. Transfer the solution to a saucepan
You can use any saucepan that can be placed on the stove (kitchen). Pass only the liquid solution. Do not add solid baking soda to the saucepan.
If you added too much baking soda, you will get only solid baking soda. Only the excess bicarbonate will remain in a solid (but wet) state
Step 2. Boil the solution
Place the saucepan on the stove until it begins to simmer. It is best to avoid boiling vigorously, as the surface of the solution will be more difficult to control and you could also overcook the mixture. You can also boil the solution in a Bunsen burner or stove.
Step 3. Look at the surface of the solution
Make sure the solution is boiling slowly enough that you can control the surface. If it boils so hard that you can't control the surface, lower the heat. Let the solution simmer until a white solid begins to form on the surface of the solution. When you see this solid substance, immediately move the saucepan away from the heat and stir the solution until the solid dissolves again.
Step 4. Wait for the solution to cool down
As the solution cools, the sodium acetate dissolved in the hot water will precipitate. It could take up to half an hour for you to notice the formation of sodium acetate crystals. Once these crystals form, you can pour out the excess water.
- If no crystals form, the solution may be in a state of supersaturation. This means that there is too much sodium acetate dissolved in the water for the current temperature. Dip a small piece of metal into the solution to start crystallization (you can even use aluminum foil).
- If you're making hot ice sculptures, slowly pour the solution into a mold or pattern. This will catalyze the sodium acetate that precipitates out of solution to form a solid sculpture.
Step 5. Scrape off any remaining crystals
Crystals will form on the surface of the plate. For best results, scrape them off with a razor blade. Place the crystals in an airtight container (such as a zip-lock bag).
If you plan to use the mixture as a hand warmer, place the crystals in an airtight bag. Place the bag in boiling water to melt the crystals. Leave the mixture in a liquid state until you need a hand warmer, and then attach a glass or metal piece to catalyze the change to a hot solid
Method 3 of 3: Evaporate Excess Water
Step 1. Pour the solution into an evaporation dish
The evaporation dish will cause the water and carbon dioxide to slowly evaporate from the crystals. This method takes much longer than the method of boiling excess water and carbon dioxide, but it also works. Do not pass solid bicarbonate particles to the evaporation plate.
If the plate is wide (or long) and shallow, like a glass tray, all the better. The water will take much longer to evaporate if you use a deep dish
Step 2. Wait for the contaminants to evaporate
Under normal conditions (room temperature, normal atmospheric pressure, etc.) the evaporation process can take days. If you want to speed up the evaporation process, you can place the dish under a heat lamp. As the water evaporates, white crystals of sodium acetate will precipitate out of the solution and adhere to the dish.
Step 3. Collect the crystals
Once the water has evaporated, the sodium acetate crystals will be attached to the evaporation dish. Use a razor blade to scrape the crystals off the plate. Store the crystals in an airtight container, such as a zip-top bag.