NaOH

Sodium Hydroxide

Also known as:

Caustic soda
Lye
Soda lye
Sodium hydrate

The Science

Why CPVC Works Well With Sodium Hydroxide

High-quality CPVC like Corzan® CPVC has a high level of chlorine on the polymer chain. This protects the CPVC from the degrading effects of highly corrosive chemicals commonly used by industrial plants for everything from metal extraction to pH adjustment to the manufacture of other important industrial chemicals. Corzan CPVC has excellent resistance to caustic soda due to its superior engineering and formulation.

Chemical Background

What is Sodium Hydroxide?

Sodium hydroxide, called caustic soda, is one of the most common industrial chemicals. It is industrially produced usually as a 50% colorless liquid solution. The process also creates chlorine gas, and evaporating the water creates solid sodium hydroxide. White, odorless, solid sodium hydroxide is most commonly sold as flakes, prills and cast blocks. Caustic soda is a highly reactive, versatile alkaline that is effective at breaking down certain compounds.

The History of Sodium Hydroxide

Late 13th century

A recipe for sodium hydroxide is included in a soapmaking book compiled by the king of Yemen.

1791

French chemist and surgeon Nicolas Leblanc patented a process for mass-producing sodium carbonate, natural "soda ash" (impure sodium carbonate that was obtained from the ashes of plants that are rich in sodium) was replaced by this artificial version.

19th century

The Solvay process for producing sodium hydroxide becomes the dominant method.

20th century

Electrolysis of sodium chloride becomes the primary method for producing sodium hydroxide.

1998

Total world production of caustic soda reaches 45 million tons.

Did you know?

Household bleach and pool chlorination solution are usually stabilized by sodium hydroxide.

Temperature & Concentration

Corzan CPVC's Resistance to Sodium Hydroxide

For 30 years, Corzan CPVC has been chosen as a chemical barrier material for the transport of hot, caustic chemicals in industries like pulp and paper processing and wastewater treatment because of its consistent reliability and its backing by expert advice and research. Corzan CPVC samples were tested in 50% sodium hydroxide environments in laboratory tests that have shown good resistance of the material up to approximately 180°F (82°C)*.

corzan cpvc chemical resistance to sodium hydroxide chart

* Corzan® Material and Piping Solutions only partners with manufacturers with a proven track record of quality and reliability. These manufacturers are carefully chosen to convert Corzan CPVC into the high-performance piping systems, ducting, sheets and lining and more that customers rely on. Always confirm any planned application is in compliance with our partner’s design guidelines.

Drawbacks of Other Materials

The Drawbacks of Other Materials Handling Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium hydroxide is among the most common chemicals that Corzan CPVC reliably handles in a variety industrial applications. All material will react to sodium hydroxide in different ways according to concentration levels, temperatures, pressures and nature of the material. But engineers choose Corzan CPVC for sodium hydroxide due to its performance capabilities compared to metals and other plastics.

Metals: Metals like stainless steel or carbon steel can have very short service lives when processing or storing caustic soda due to its highly corrosive nature.

PVC (Polyvinyl chloride): PVC has far lower operating temperatures and pressure limits than CPVC which limits its usefulness in many industrial applications.

Common Uses

Common Uses of Sodium Hydroxide

Pulp and paper industry for pulping and bleaching processes.
Wastewater treatment industry for pH neutralization and wet-air scrubbers.
Power generation industry for regenerating ion demineralization resin beds.
Semiconductor industry for etching, plating acid neutralization and cleaning.
Production of potassium carbonate, potassium phosphate and liquid fertilizer
Food and beverage industry as a cleaning agent.
Personal care industry, such as soapmaking.
Aluminum processing applications for dissolving compounds and extracting impurities.

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Explore More Chemicals

For long-term system reliability, it is critical to choose a material that resists corrosion. Corzan CPVC effectively stands up to most acids, bases and salts and is innately resistant to corrosive chemicals, including the 10 commonly used chemicals that can degrade and reduce the service life of many metals.

NaClO Sodium Hypochlorite

H₂SO₄ Sulfuric Acid

HCl Hydrochloric Acid

NaOH Sodium Hydroxide

NaCl Sodium Chloride

H₃PO₄ Phosphoric Acid

ClO₂ Chlorine Dioxide

HNO₃ Nitric Acid

H₂O₂ Hydrogen Peroxide

H₂O Water