Making sodium?

[Counterstriker]

So I hear you can make sodium by melting it and then running current through it. (sodium is extremely explosive when added to water). Can someone help me out here and give me some ideas an how to run a current through it?

[crazyfreak0075]

You say melting "it" what is it.

[Counterstriker]

My bad, You make it by melting salt.

[crazyfreak0075]

LOL yeah i guess you could "melt" salt then run a current as i so have read. Good luck with the chlorine gas. I dont recommend any thing but chlorine gas is heavy and will stay in the bottom of a cup in small amounts. I guess if you were careful..................naw its highly poisonous dont do it.

[A-98]

yup, melt and run a current thru it, but dont breath. Translation: highly inadvisable.

ide say your best bet is talk to BC, he might know where you can aquire some

[Counterstriker]

My question is what can I use to run the current through it?

[crazyfreak0075]

Car battery from what i read. But listen the melting point of NaCl is 1473.8 Fahrenheit. Good luck getting that high. Torch maybe??? Something alot safer would be NaOH get it from chemical shops, chemistry teacher. Melting point is a lot lower 604.4 Fahrenheit. Also you can make say a 4 molar solution and try electrolysis, i haven't checked to see if it would work but the anode would be covered in sodium, of course it would be in water so never mind.

[GalFisk]

Details and success reports about electrolysing melted NaOH here: http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/view ... p?tid=2103

Beware that hot melted lye is very corrosive and will eat your skin and blind you. Take appropriate safety precautions.

[Counterstriker]

Ok cool, Can I store It in gasoline? Cooking oil?

[iPaintball]

You can safely store it in mineral oil. You can also purchase small quantities of elmental Na and K at Unitednuclear.com

[WOW!!]

Can I ask what you are useing it for?

[keep_it_real]

You're also supposed to be able to melt ashes with a torch and then do electrolysis when it's molten. Ashes are mostly made of KCO3 or Potassium Carbonate. This will separate the potassium and you can get it out somehow. Potassium is more explosive than sodium.