| HS Code | 142613 |
| Chemical Formula | NaHCO3 |
| Molar Mass | 84.0066 g/mol |
| Appearance | White crystalline powder or granules |
| Odor | Odorless |
| Density | 2.20 g/cm3 at 25°C |
| Melting Point | Decomposes at 150°C |
| Decomposition Temperature | Begins at about 50°C, complete at 150°C |
| Solubility In Water | 9.6 g/100 mL at 20°C |
| Solubility In Ethanol | Insoluble |
| Ph | 8.3 for 0.1 M aqueous solution |
| Refractive Index | 1.500 |
| Crystal Structure | Monoclinic |
| Hygroscopicity | Slightly hygroscopic |
| Cas Number | 144-55-8 |
As an accredited Sodium Bicarbonate factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Sodium bicarbonate packaged in a 25 kg multi-layer paper bag with polyethylene liner, safely sealed and labeled for handling. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Container Loading (20′ FCL): Sodium bicarbonate in 25 kg PP woven bags, palletized, loaded securely into a 20-foot container for safe transport. |
| Shipping | Sodium bicarbonate is a white, odorless, non-hazardous crystalline powder. Ship in sealed, moisture-resistant bags or drums to prevent caking. Keep dry, away from acids and incompatible materials. No special transport classification required; standard freight handling is suitable. Ensure packaging is clean and labeled appropriately for industrial or food-grade use. |
| Storage | Store sodium bicarbonate in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area away from moisture and direct sunlight. Keep the container tightly sealed to prevent clumping and absorption of odors. Avoid contact with strong acids and incompatible chemicals. Ensure segregation from food products and follow local regulations for safe handling and storage. |
| Shelf Life | Sodium bicarbonate is stable for 2–3 years when stored cool, dry, and sealed; avoid moisture and acids. |
In waste-to-energy and hazardous-waste incinerator trains operating under European Union emission envelopes, dry sorbent injection of sodium bicarbonate is installed upstream of a fabric filter. The sorbent is transferred from a silo through a gravimetric screw feeder into an air classifier mill, where it is ground to a median particle size of 8–12 µm and then conveyed pneumatically to an injection lance. Flue gas at the injection point is maintained between 180 °C and 230 °C; within this window the bicarbonate decomposes to porous sodium carbonate before entering the baghouse. The acid-gas capture step follows the stoichiometric demand of 2:1 on a NaHCO₃:SO₂ molar basis, and practical sorbent feed rates are set at 1.0–1.4 mol sodium carbonate equivalent per mole of acid gas entering the duct. Sulfur dioxide, hydrogen chloride, and hydrogen fluoride react with the calcined sorbent in the duct and on the filter cake. The pulse-jet fabric filter is specified with polytetrafluoroethylene/polyphenylene sulfide media and an air-to-cloth ratio of 1.0 m/min or lower so that the reaction products are retained as a dry sodium sulfate filter cake. Baghouse differential pressure is regulated between 0.8 kPa and 2.5 kPa by cleaning pulses of 0.4–0.6 MPa compressed air. Because the captured salts are hygroscopic, hopper heaters are held at 65–80 °C and pneumatic conveying lines are purged with dry air at a dew point of −40 °C. Continuous emission monitoring systems operated to EN 14181 QAL2 verify stack gas compliance downstream of the baghouse. The main operational limit is condensation: when flue gas relative humidity approaches 70% or when the injection lance is not thermally insulated, the powder cakes, dosing accuracy falls below ±3% of setpoint, and cleaning frequency increases.
The particle size distribution of the milled sorbent is checked by laser diffraction using ISO 13320. When the D90 exceeds 35 µm, acid-gas removal efficiency drops below the designed 90% SO₂ capture at the same molar ratio, and the sorbent feed rate is increased until the D90 is returned to 25 µm or lower. Sorbent contact with the flue gas is maximized by positioning the injection lance at a right angle to gas flow and using a venturi eductor that produces a pressure drop of 2.0–3.5 kPa. The resulting filter cake on the baghouse serves as a secondary reaction zone; this is why baghouse offline periods longer than 30 s require automatic bypass damper closure to maintain emission compliance. In installations that also treat flue gas from coal or biomass co-firing, the sodium sulfate-rich residue may raise water-soluble sulfate in the fly ash; composite leach testing is then conducted under EN 12457-2 before landfill disposal. Published data for this specific co-firing configuration is limited, so residue behavior is verified by site-specific campaigns rather than generalized emission-factor estimates.
The endothermic decomposition of sodium bicarbonate in a polymer melt is governed by particle size distribution and dispersion uniformity. Thermogravimetric analysis at 10 °C/min under nitrogen according to ASTM E1131 shows weight loss beginning near 100 °C, with peak gas evolution at approximately 145 °C; the released CO₂ and water create cell nuclei while absorbing heat from the melt. In flexible PVC plastisol coating lines, the powder is pre-dispersed in a high-shear Cowles dissolver at 1,500–2,000 rpm and then passed through a three-roll mill to achieve a Hegman grind of 6–7. Addition levels of 0.5–3.0 phr are used for closed-cell foam in flooring and synthetic leather; above 3.0 phr, cell coalescence produces gross voids and reduces tensile strength as measured by ISO 527-3. The plastisol viscosity is measured at 20 rpm with a Brookfield RV spindle per ASTM D2196, and a viscosity rise above 15% after 24 h indicates moisture-induced destabilization. For polyolefin foam extrusion, a counter-rotating twin-screw extruder with L/D 30:1 is profiled from 140 °C at the feed throat to 190 °C at the die plate, with die head pressure of 8–12 MPa keeping the gas in solution before expansion. Foam density is checked according to ISO 845, and the target density window for a 20 mm sheet is 0.45–0.65 g/cm³. Pre-drying of the sodium bicarbonate is performed at 60 °C for 4 h when the moisture content exceeds 0.2 wt%, because free water consumes acid acceptors in PVC and opens the foam cell structure. Published performance data for specific commercial polyolefin formulations is limited; the practical limit is usually established by melt strength, not by the decomposition chemistry of the bicarbonate alone.
In PVC plastisol coating, the addition of sodium bicarbonate changes low-shear viscosity and gelation profile. At 1.5 phr the plastisol retains a Brookfield RV viscosity of 2,500–3,500 mPa·s at 20 rpm; at 3.0 phr the viscosity may rise to 4,500–5,500 mPa·s depending on resin paste properties, which narrows the coating window on a comma blade coater. Gelation ovens are typically set at 190–200 °C with dwell times of 60–90 s; under these conditions the foam develops a uniform closed-cell structure with cell size 50–150 µm when the solid is dispersed to Hegman 6–7. For extrusion-grade polyethylene, a twin-screw side feeder is calibrated with a loss-in-weight accuracy of ±0.1 kg/h and feed rates from 5–20 kg/h; the main limitation is the softening point of the polymer, not the decomposition onset of sodium bicarbonate, because the gas must be retained by melt strength until the die pressure is released. The Na₂CO₃ decomposition residue remains in the polymer matrix and can shift the yellowness index measured by ASTM E313 by 0.5–1.0 units in unpigmented sheet.
A total mixed ration wagon equipped with vertical counter-rotating augers delivers the buffer after wet by-products and before the final 5 min mixing cycle to minimize stratification. Sodium bicarbonate is included at 0.6–1.0% of total dry matter, equivalent to 110–225 g per cow per day in high-yielding Holstein rations; the NRC 2001 Dairy Nutrient Requirements report identifies it as a rumen buffer for high-grain diets. The material is selected to comply with FDA 21 CFR 184.1736 and AAFCO Official Publication ingredient definitions, with assay by acid titration following AOAC 941.12. In rations where maize silage and high-moisture corn depress rumen pH below 6.0 for more than 4 h daily, the inclusion stabilizes volatile fatty acid fermentation and reduces milk fat depression. Particle size distribution is controlled so that 95% passes a 0.420 mm sieve, avoiding refusal and sorting in the feed bunk. The main incompatibility is with acidogenic diets formulated for controlled acidosis; indiscriminate addition above 1.2% dry matter raises dietary cation-anion difference and may blunt the prepartum calcium mobilization response in transition cows.
Hard-sweet biscuit lines running tunnel ovens at 180–220 °C replace ammonium bicarbonate with sodium bicarbonate to prevent residual ammonia in thick biscuits, but sodium bicarbonate requires an acidulant to avoid a high-pH, soapy crumb. In a horizontal drum mixer operating at 25 rpm, the bicarbonate and acidulant are dry-blended with the flour and sucrose fraction for 3 min before water at 18–20 °C is added; dough temperature is kept below 22 °C to delay gas release until the oven. The following acidulant ratios are derived from stoichiometric neutralization of 100 g of sodium bicarbonate:
| Acidulant | Mass required per 100 g NaHCO₃ | Release behaviour in dough |
|---|---|---|
| Anhydrous citric acid (C₆H₈O₇) | 76.2 g | Immediate CO₂ release in aqueous dough; used in cold-mixed batters |
| Sodium acid pyrophosphate (Na₂H₂P₂O₇) | 132.1 g | Delayed, oven-triggered release; suited to tunnel baking |
| Potassium bitartrate (KHC₄H₄O₆) | 224.0 g | Fast release at room temperature; limited bench stability |
For a cracker dough containing 3.0 g sodium bicarbonate per 1.0 kg flour, anhydrous citric acid is metered at 2.3 g when immediate nucleation is needed in a cold-mixed batter, whereas sodium acid pyrophosphate is preferred for tunnel baking because its delayed release holds carbon dioxide until the dough piece reaches the first oven zone. The pre-bake dough pH is maintained between 5.8 and 6.2; after baking, crumb pH measured on a 10 g sample in 90 mL distilled water at 25 °C falls between 7.0 and 7.4. If no acidulant is used, residual sodium carbonate raises crumb pH above 8.0 and creates brown discoloration from Maillard reactants. Final moisture at the oven exit is held at 1.5–2.0% to prevent post-packaging moisture migration from the center to the shell. In tunnel baking, the release profile of the acidulant is matched to the oven temperature ramp. Sodium acid pyrophosphate with D50 20 µm reacts slowly at dough temperatures below 40 °C; gas evolution rises sharply between 60 °C and 80 °C, when the starch granule surface begins to hydrate and the dough matrix starts to set. If release occurs before the matrix can trap gas, the dough piece collapses in the first third of the oven and the baked thickness drops below 80% of the target profile.
Because bicarbonate ion is both a buffer and a source of sodium mass, its use in renal replacement fluids and antacid dosage forms is controlled by two separate pharmacopoeial and engineering constraints. For hemodialysis, USP sodium bicarbonate powder is dissolved in purified water to produce a 8.4% (1.0 M) concentrate, which is filtered through a 0.2 µm membrane and proportioned by the dialysis machine to yield a final dialysate bicarbonate concentration of 30–35 mmol/L. Handling and microbial control follow ISO 23500-3:2019; concentrate storage at 20–25 °C must not exceed the validated shelf life because bicarbonate slowly releases CO₂ into the headspace. For antacid tablets, a direct-compression blend contains 325 mg sodium bicarbonate, microcrystalline cellulose, and 1.0 wt% magnesium stearate, compressed on a rotary tablet press at 10–20 kN using 10 mm round tooling. The tablets are tested against USP <701> for disintegration and USP <905> for uniformity of dosage units. Each 325 mg sodium bicarbonate tablet delivers approximately 89 mg of sodium, and the acid-neutralizing capacity is measured by the Roche assay block method; this sodium load imposes an exclusion for patients on 2 g/day sodium-restricted diets. The main process incompatibility is moisture: compression above 35% relative humidity causes punch filming and weight variation outside ±5% of target.
Where source water total alkalinity is below 30 mg/L as CaCO₃, sodium bicarbonate is injected as a 5–10% solution using positive-displacement diaphragm metering pumps after filtration. The chemical is certified under NSF/ANSI/CAN 60 for drinking water treatment chemicals. The dose is calculated to raise total alkalinity by 10–20 mg/L; each 1 mg/L of sodium bicarbonate adds approximately 0.60 mg/L alkalinity as CaCO₃. The treated stream passes through a static mixer with a residence time of 60 s before the corrosion control monitoring point. The Langelier Saturation Index is maintained between −0.2 and +0.2, and total alkalinity is titrated according to Standard Methods 2320 B. Under the US EPA Lead and Copper Rule, 40 CFR Part 141 Subpart I, alkalinity adjustment is an accepted optimized corrosion control strategy for lead-bearing plumbing. The bicarbonate must not be co-fed with calcium hypochlorite in the same carrier water, because the local pH rise above 8.5 converts free chlorine to the weaker hypochlorite ion and precipitates calcium carbonate scale on the injection nozzle. In cold surface waters with temperature below 5 °C, dissolution rate limits the practical solution strength to 5%; higher concentrations recrystallize in metering lines unless heat-traced at 15–20 °C.
When the sodium bicarbonate dose is changed, total alkalinity and pH are monitored every 24 h for the first week and then weekly until stable; after the corrosion control adjustment, residual chlorine levels are re-optimized because higher pH shifts chlorine speciation toward hypochlorite ion and may reduce first-barrier disinfection kinetics in low-temperature distribution lines. In systems with orthophosphate corrosion inhibitors, the bicarbonate feed is set before orthophosphate because the final phosphate scale formation depends on pH at the pipe wall. The injection skid is constructed with corrosion-resistant wetted parts, and the solution tank is blanketed with nitrogen when downtime exceeds 8 h to prevent carbon dioxide absorption from raising the treated water pH beyond the predicted LSI band.
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Sodium bicarbonate (CAS 144-55-8, NaHCO3, sodium hydrogen carbonate, E500(ii)) is supplied as a white crystalline or granulated solid with a molar mass of 84.0066 g·mol⁻¹ and a true density of 2.20 g/cm³. A 0.1 M aqueous solution at 25 °C exhibits a pH of approximately 8.3; the acid–base pair HCO3−/CO32− corresponds to a pKa of 10.33, while the H2CO3/HCO3− equilibrium has a pKa of 6.35. Water solubility at 20 °C is approximately 9.6 g per 100 mL. Commercial material is regulated under 21 CFR 184.1736 as a GRAS direct food substance and under 21 CFR 331.11 as an antacid active ingredient. The compound releases carbon dioxide on contact with acids and decomposes thermally to sodium carbonate, water, and carbon dioxide, a property that defines its role in leavening, effervescent systems, polymer foaming, and acid gas scrubbing.
The principal commercial grades are defined by compendial monographs rather than by dimensional model numbers. The current USP–NF monograph for Sodium Bicarbonate specifies assay 99.0–100.5% on the dried basis, loss on drying not more than 0.25%, chloride not more than 0.015%, sulfate not more than 0.015%, iron not more than 20 ppm, heavy metals not more than 5 ppm, and arsenic not more than 2 ppm. The Ph. Eur. and BP monographs set assay at 99.0–101.0% with comparable limit tests; the FCC 14 monograph adds a lead limit of not more than 2 mg/kg for food use. Technical-grade material is normally sold against a manufacturer’s certificate of analysis with assay not less than 99.0%, but trace chloride and sulfate limits can be wider than pharmaceutical grade. The compliance checklist matrix is provided below.
| Grade | Reference standard | Assay | Loss on drying | Critical trace limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USP pharmaceutical | USP–NF monograph | 99.0–100.5% | ≤0.25% | As ≤2 ppm; heavy metals ≤5 ppm; Fe ≤20 ppm |
| FCC food | FCC 14 | 99.0–100.5% | ≤0.25% | Pb ≤2 mg/kg |
| Ph. Eur./BP pharmaceutical | Ph. Eur. and BP | 99.0–101.0% | ≤0.25% | Cl ≤0.015%; SO4 ≤0.015%; Fe ≤20 ppm |
| Technical grade | Manufacturer COA | ≥99.0% | ≤0.20% typical | Cl ≤0.05% typical; SO4 ≤0.05% typical |
Within compendial grades, particle size distribution creates the practical model differences. A coarse granular product retains 85–95% on a 150 µm sieve and has a d50 near 250–450 µm; this model is used in dry-bulk mixing and flue-gas conditioning. An extra-fine model may have a d50 below 30 µm and a tapped bulk density of 0.40–0.70 g/cm³. A treated free-flowing grade contains 0.2–0.5% tricalcium phosphate or amorphous silica as anticaking agent to maintain flowability at relative humidity above 60%. The specific model designation is assigned by the producer, but the controlling specification is the particle size distribution, not a universal industry code.
In acid-triggered effervescent systems, the reaction NaHCO3 + H+ → Na+ + H2O + CO2 proceeds to a theoretical carbon dioxide yield of 266.8 mL per gram at 0 °C and 101.3 kPa. In thermal decomposition, 2NaHCO3 → Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2, the yield is half that value, 133.4 mL per gram at STP. Solid-state decomposition is endothermic and becomes industrially relevant above 50–80 °C, with rapid gas evolution between 100 °C and 150 °C depending on particle size, heating rate, and the partial pressure of water vapor and carbon dioxide in the process atmosphere. In a 40:1 L/D co-rotating twin-screw extruder processing polypropylene, a loading of 1.0–2.5 wt% sodium bicarbonate-based endothermic blowing agent is used; die pressure must be maintained above 70 bar to avoid gas expansion before the die exit. The decomposition residue sodium carbonate is mildly alkaline and can raise melt pH, which in turn affects acid-sensitive additives and seal strength in downstream lamination. Published data for this specific configuration is limited; the cited pressure and loading ranges are representative production starting points rather than universal specifications.
Foamed part density is typically measured by ASTM D792-20; tensile properties by ASTM D638-14. Because sodium bicarbonate decomposes endothermically, it reduces local melt-temperature rise during processing, but the same endotherm can freeze the melt if overfed above 2.5 wt% in thin-wall sections. Pre-drying of the compound is required when moisture content exceeds 0.1% or storage relative humidity exceeds 60% to prevent acid-gas loss before extrusion.
The selection among carbonate salts is governed by alkalinity, cation load, gas yield, and residue. Sodium carbonate has a 0.1 M solution pH near 11.6, whereas sodium bicarbonate buffers near 8.3. Sodium bicarbonate therefore provides a lower pH shift and lower sodium content per unit of acid neutralization. Ammonium bicarbonate generates ammonia as well as carbon dioxide and is unsuitable in food and pharmaceutical matrices where ammonia odor or residual ammonium ion is unacceptable. Potassium bicarbonate can be used in low-sodium formulations but has a lower theoretical carbon dioxide yield per gram because of its higher molar mass. Calcium carbonate is sparingly soluble and reacts slowly, whereas sodium bicarbonate dissolves rapidly and is preferred for immediate-release effervescent dosage forms. The comparative values are shown below.
| Compound | Molar mass (g/mol) | Theoretical CO₂ yield on acid reaction (mL/g STP) | Approximate 0.1 M solution pH | Cation content (% w/w) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sodium bicarbonate, NaHCO3 | 84.006 | 266.8 | 8.3 | Na 27.4 |
| Sodium carbonate, Na2CO3 | 105.988 | 211.5 | 11.6 | Na 43.4 |
| Potassium bicarbonate, KHCO3 | 100.115 | 223.9 | 8.3 | K 39.1 |
| Ammonium bicarbonate, NH4HCO3 | 79.056 | 283.5 | 7.8 fresh solution | NH4 22.8 |
| Calcium carbonate, CaCO3 | 100.086 | 224.0 | Not applicable due to low solubility | Ca 40.0 |
In chemically leavened bakery systems, sodium bicarbonate requires an acidulant such as monocalcium phosphate monohydrate or sodium acid pyrophosphate. The release of carbon dioxide is controlled by the acidulant dissolution rate and the temperature of the dough during baking. The grade used for bakery is a fine powder with a d50 of 60–100 µm, because coarse granular material does not react completely before the product sets. Residual sodium carbonate is detectable as a higher pH in the crumb if the acidulant is underdosed.
Sodium bicarbonate is preferred over sodium carbonate in high-shear wet granulation because the lower solution pH reduces hydrolysis of acid-labile active pharmaceutical ingredients. The gas yield from sodium bicarbonate is sufficiently rapid that tablet compression must include a granulation endpoint at low-moisture content, typically 0.5–0.8%, to prevent pre-reaction with acid components. In dry chemical fire extinguishers, sodium bicarbonate is selected because it decomposes at 70–100 °C in the flame zone and generates carbon dioxide, but it is not used for metal fires.
Sodium bicarbonate is applied as a dry sorbent for acid gas control in cement plants, glass furnaces, and waste incinerators. In dry sorbent injection, milled sodium bicarbonate with a d50 of 15–25 µm is injected into the flue gas duct at temperatures between 180 °C and 250 °C. Under these conditions the bicarbonate decomposes in situ to finely divided sodium carbonate, which reacts with SO2, HCl, and HF to form sodium sulfate, sodium chloride, and sodium fluoride. The process is less pH aggressive than hydrated lime and avoids the wetting risks of spray dryers. Removal efficiency depends on sorbent residence time, gas humidity, and stoichiometric ratio; typical sodium bicarbonate stoichiometric ratios are 1.2–2.0 for SO2 control, with higher ratios required for HCl removal. The spent sorbent is collected in a baghouse filter, and the residual sodium carbonate content can create dust-handling limitations if the inlet gas temperature falls below 150 °C, because decomposition is incomplete and reaction may occur on the filter bags.
In animal feed, sodium bicarbonate is added as a rumen buffer in dairy cattle diets. The standard feed-grade model is a coarse granular product with a sodium content near 27.4%; dosage is governed by the dietary cation–anion difference and is adjusted under veterinary nutrition control. Published data for production-scale milk yield responses is variable and is not intended as a therapeutic claim.
Haemodialysis bicarbonate concentrate is prepared as a separate solution, commonly at 8.4% w/v or 5% w/v depending on the delivery system, and diluted before use. The solution is sterilized by filtration because heat sterilization triggers decomposition. The pH of the concentrate is approximately 8.0–8.3, and the sodium concentration is 1000 mmol/L for an 8.4% solution. This use requires pharmaceutical grade with endotoxin limits verified against the applicable dialysis fluid standard.