This week I became interested with sodium and it’s inherent instability. It’s readily available in many compounds such as NaCl (table salt). Really, all you have to do to separate the Na from the Cl is melt the crystals and subject the liquid to electrolysis. Here’s my procedure:

DISCLAIMER: This procedure is just a brainstorm, I haven’t carried it out and I don’t know that I ever will. I’d be interested in your input, but unless you know what you’re doing, don’t do anything like this.

Equipment & Reagents

• Time & patience
• As much NaCl as you feel you need. You can calculate the yield by looking up the atomic weights for Na and Cl – if you’re having trouble doing that you shouldn’t do this procedure… just buy the Na.
• Carbon electrodes and several car batteries wired in series.
• A large glove box (preferably one you can modify and that can withstand a mild explosion)
• Powerful air conditioner.
• Kerosene
• Wire
• An electrically nonconductive container capable of withstanding thousands of degrees Celsius of heat
• A noble gas… helium will work and is readily available
• Heater hose (probably)
• Any other stuff I forgot to mention, like tools for modifying the glove box.
• Oh yeah, oxy-acetylene or oxy-mapp and torch kit.

The major concerns in this procedure are: A) Sodium is highly explosive, especially in its powdered form which is what you’ll be dealing with.  B) You’re going to be using an extreme amount of heat right next to an alkane (kerosene) which is pretty flammable. C) The electrolysis of liquid NaCl gives off Chlorine gas which will kill you if you inhale it and D) The amount of electricity gets extremely dangerous when you start connecting batteries together in series.

So, you’d modify the glove box to have a permanent ceramic dish with the NaCl in it, then have a MAPP or Oxy-Acetylene burner positioned strategically underneath it so as to have it at the right temp, but not too high. Modify the air conditioner so that you have hot helium coming out and cool helium going in. Everything is perfectly sealed. Separate from that is the helium input; it must first flood the box, then step it down and just have some positive pressure. Another hose should vent out to the roof or somewhere where nobody is present, and there should be a fan blowing on the end of it so the Chlorine gas doesn’t get too potent. Do it on a windy day I guess!

I know I’m going to forget something, but let’s move on to the next part. Take the batteries and wire them in series into the box connected to graphite rods. The graphite rods should resist corrosion and be able to withstand heat well… You’ll have a vat of kerosene (preferably actively cooled somehow) inside the helium-flooded box, but not too close to the flame. The kerosene won’t ignite without oxygen, but it could get a little to hot for comfort and start to dry off or even boil. When the Sodium particles start to form on the anode you’ll have to take it out, let it cool for a second, then brush it off in the kerosene. Rinse and repeat. Once you’re done, leave the cooling mechanisms on as well as the helium flow and the ventilation. Let this whole set up cool down to room temperature then disassemble everything. You will have pure sodium in a powdered form as a sediment at the bottom of the kerosene vat. Take note that powdered sodium is very dangerous just due to it’s huge surface area – it’s subject to explosion at any time. You may wish to develop a procedure to melt it and then mold it into a bar, but you may be able to do this in the kerosene with simple pressure… I know it’s very malleable at room temperature, but I’m not sure if you can get the particles to smash together or not, you may need heat.

Don’t ever try this, and don’t assume it’s correct because I haven’t tried it. I just thought it up. Maybe an electronics engineer could help you robotize this whole thing with the use of a camera so you don’t have to be anywhere near it and you can do it on a grander scale. Just a thought.

-Dan