Knowra Sodium sulfide Sodium sulfide Sodium sulfide is an inorganic ionic compound, usually represented by Na₂S. It is a source of sulfide ions used in leather processing, pulp manufacture, and chemical synthesis.
Sodium ion : A positively charged sodium atom, Na⁺, formed when sodium loses one electron. Two sodium ions balance the charge of each sulfide ion in Na₂S.
Kraft process : A chemical pulping process that separates cellulose fibers from wood using alkaline sodium sulfide and sodium hydroxide. Sodium sulfide helps break down lignin during this major pulp-manufacturing process.
Ionic compound : A substance composed of positively and negatively charged ions held together by electrostatic attraction. Sodium sulfide is an ionic solid rather than a molecule of discrete Na₂S units.
Corrosive substance : A material that chemically damages living tissue or other materials through contact. Concentrated sodium sulfide solutions can cause severe chemical burns.
Sulfide : The divalent sulfur anion S²⁻, or a compound containing sulfur in that oxidation state. Sulfide is the anion paired with sodium in sodium sulfide.
Leather tanning : The treatment of animal hides to make durable leather by stabilizing their collagen structure. Sodium sulfide is used in hide unhairing and related beamhouse steps.
Chemical formula : A symbolic representation of the elements and their proportions in a chemical substance. Na₂S records the two-to-one sodium-to-sulfur ratio in anhydrous sodium sulfide.
Occupational exposure : Contact with chemical, physical, or biological hazards during work. Workers can be exposed through caustic solutions, dust, or hydrogen sulfide released during use.
Hydrolysis : A chemical reaction in which a substance reacts with water, often changing its ions or bonds. Sulfide ions react with water, making sodium sulfide solutions strongly alkaline.
Desulfurization : The removal of sulfur compounds from materials such as fuels, gases, or industrial streams. Sodium sulfide can precipitate some dissolved heavy metals as insoluble sulfides during treatment.
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