Sodium Bicarbonate Overview

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃), widely known as baking soda, is a white, odorless, crystalline powder or fine granules. It is water-soluble, producing a mildly alkaline solution with a pH around 8.3. Sodium bicarbonate is a versatile chemical used in food, pharmaceutical, cleaning, and industrial applications.

• Chemical Formula: NaHCO₃

• Molecular Weight: 84.01 g/mol

• Appearance: White crystalline powder or granules

• Solubility: Soluble in water, insoluble in alcohol

• Melting Point: Decomposes above 50°C (122°F), releasing CO₂ and H₂O

• Density: 2.20 g/cm³

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History of Sodium Bicarbonate

Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) has been used for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians used natural deposits called natron for cleaning, soap, and mummification. In the 18th century, Nicolas Leblanc developed a process to produce soda ash, paving the way for modern sodium bicarbonate.

Commercial production began in 1846 when John Dwight and Austin Church sold baking soda under the Arm & Hammer. The Solvay process (1863) improved efficiency, making it widely available. In the 20th century, baking soda became a household staple for cooking, cleaning, and health. Today, it is used in food, industrial, and environmental applications, with sustainable production methods.

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Properties and Characteristics

• Alkalinity: Mild alkali, neutralizes acids

• Leavening Agent: Releases CO₂ for baking

• Abrasiveness: Gentle, suitable for cleaning

• Buffering Capacity: Maintains pH in solutions

• Deodorizing: Neutralizes odors in household and industrial use

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Applications of Sodium Bicarbonate

Food and Baking

Sodium bicarbonate is used in food processing primarily for leavening, pH control, and neutralization.

Common roles

• Chemical leavening (baking): reacts with acidic ingredients (or acid salts in baking powder) to generate CO₂, creating rise and lighter texture in baked goods.
  Typical reaction: NaHCO₃ + H⁺ → CO₂ + H₂O + sodium salt
• pH adjustment: helps control acidity in formulations where pH impacts flavor, color, or texture.
• Processing aid in specific recipes: can influence browning and crumb structure by shifting pH (use levels must be controlled to avoid soapy/alkaline taste).

Where it’s used

• Baking powder systems (paired with acid salts)
• Bakery and snack formulations where controlled gas release is needed
• Certain processing steps where mild alkalinity is beneficial

Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare

In healthcare contexts, sodium bicarbonate is used as an alkalinizing and buffering agent and is also present in some antacid products.

Examples of use (high level)

• Antacid formulations: neutralize stomach acid for short-term relief of heartburn/acid indigestion (product labeling governs use).
• Buffering agent in formulations: used where pH control is important for stability or comfort (formulation-dependent).

Professional note
Health-related use should follow product directions and clinical guidance where appropriate, especially for individuals who must limit sodium intake or who have kidney/heart conditions.

Personal Care and Oral Care

Sodium bicarbonate is used for mild abrasive cleaning and odor/pH neutralization in personal care products.

Typical applications

• Toothpaste and oral powders: support gentle polishing and help neutralize acids in the mouth (formulation-dependent).
• Deodorizing products: neutralize acidic odor components (common in underarm and foot-care formats).
• Bath and skin products: used in some formulations for mild alkalinity and buffering (skin sensitivity varies by person).

 

Household and Institutional Cleaning

Sodium bicarbonate is widely used in cleaning because it combines mild alkalinity with light abrasiveness.

How it’s used

• Surface cleaning: helps remove soils and residues on many household surfaces (test first on delicate finishes).
• Odor control: used in refrigerators, carpets, trash areas, and laundry workflows to reduce odor.
• Stain assistance: supports cleaning by helping loosen certain residues when used with water and mechanical action.

Why it’s chosen

• Generally low odor and easy to rinse
• Useful where harsh alkalinity is not desired

Industrial Processing

Industrial users select sodium bicarbonate for pH control, neutralization, CO₂ release, and mild abrasive action. Key requirements often include particle size distribution, flowability, moisture, and purity.

Fire safety and dry chemical systems

• Used in some dry chemical fire extinguishing formulations and related fire-suppression applications where rapid interruption of combustion chemistry and dispersion properties matter (system-dependent).

Textiles

• pH control in dyeing/finishing: helps maintain consistent processing conditions, which can impact shade reproducibility and fabric handling.

Rubber, plastics, and polymers

• Blowing/foaming support (selected systems): controlled gas release can help create cellular structures in certain materials (process and temperature dependent).
• Process pH control: used where neutralization is required in aqueous process steps.

Metal finishing and surface preparation

• Used in certain cleaning/pre-treatment steps where mild alkalinity is beneficial and aggressive chemistry is not desired (application-specific).

Environmental Applications

Sodium bicarbonate is used as a practical neutralizing agent in environmental control processes.

Typical use cases

• Acid gas control in some flue gas treatment systems: applied as a sorbent/neutralizer in selected emission control technologies (design-dependent).
• Spill response: can be used to neutralize certain acid spills under appropriate safety procedures and site protocols.

 

Agriculture and Animal Nutrition

Sodium bicarbonate is used in agriculture mainly as a buffer.

Examples

• Livestock feed buffering (notably ruminants): helps support rumen pH stability in certain feeding programs (use rates depend on nutrition strategy and veterinary guidance).
• General farm utility: mild neutralization use cases where acidity management is needed (practice varies widely by region and crop).

Water and Pool Maintenance

• Alkalinity management: used to support total alkalinity and stabilize water balance in pools and some water-treatment contexts (dosing depends on measured alkalinity/pH targets).

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Packaging of Sodium Bicarbonate

Sodium bicarbonate is typically packaged to minimize moisture exposure and contamination:

• 25 kg and 50 kg bags: commonly PE/PP bags (often with inner liner options)
• 1000 kg jumbo bags (FIBC): palletized for bulk handling
• Shrink wrapping/pallet wrap: additional protection during transport

Typical Container Loading (Bulk Orders)

Actual loads depend on bag type, pallet configuration, and local limits, but typical figures are:

• 20 ft container: ~16–17 MT using 1000 kg jumbo bags
• 40 ft container: ~25 MT using 1000 kg jumbo bags

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Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda) – Technical Data Sheet

 

Technical Dada Sheet of Sodium Bicarbonate