21 Sodium Sulfate Uses: Facts You Should Know!

Sodium sulfate is a chemical compound with the formula Na2SO4. Na2SO4 is a white crystalline solid. Let us study various uses of sodium sulfate in this article. 

The application of sodium sulfate is listed below.

  • Laundry detergent
  • Paper industry
  • Glass industry
  • Textile industry
  • Glauber’s salt
  • Solar heating system
  • Laboratory 
  • Starch manufacture
  • Acidity regulator/ buffering agent
  • Cattle feed

Let us focuss on uses of Sodium sulfate in different industries in this article.

Laundry detergent

  • Sodium sulfate is used as filler in powdered home laundry detergent, powder dish detergent and carpet powder.
  • Na2SO4 is a cleaning agent in copy makers to driveways, garages and swimming pools.  

Paper industry

  • Sodium sulfate has application in the paper industry for the manufacturing of wood pulp by the process called as Kraft process.
  • Sodium sulfate is used as a reducing agent, which reduces wood to pulp. Na2SO4 strengthen the paper product.
  • Kraft paper, strong paper wrapping paper, making paper bags, Brown paper bags, cardboard bags, and pizza boxes formed from this pulp.

Glass industry

  • In the glass industry, sodium sulfate is used as a fining agent, which helps to remove small air bubbles from molten glass.
  • Sodium sulfate has a major role in glass making as it fluxes the glass during refining Na2SO4 prevents scum formation of the glass melt.
  • Na2SO4 is used to provide the necessary alkali base in making the bottle, sheets, plate glasses, window glasses, beverage containers, food containers and glassware of kitchen tables.

Textile industry

  • Sodium sulfate has major use in the textile industry in the manufacture of textiles.
  • Na2SO4 helps the dye to penetrate evenly by levelling, reducing negative charges on fibres.
  • Na2So4 prevent corrosion of stainless steel vessel used in dyeing.

Glauber’s salt

  • Na2SO410H2O is Glauber’s salt and is a laxative.
  • Glauber’s salt is used in the dyeing and tanning process.

Solar heating system

  • Sodium sulfate has unusual solubility properties and high heat of crystallization (78.2KJ/mole), due to which it has role in the passive solar heating system.

Laboratory

  • Anhydrous sodium sulfate is known as drying agent for organic solutions, removing water residue from organic solutions.
  • The addition of Na2So4 to the solution is done until the crystal stop clumping.

Starch manufacture

  • Sodium sulfate is used in the manufacturing of starch.
  • Na2SO4 prevents premature swelling of starch and gelatinization of the starch when temperature and pH are increased during the manufacturing process.

Acidity regulator/ buffering agent

  • Sodium sulfate is an acidity regulator as it maintains the acidity or basicity of food or cosmetics.

Cattle feed

  • Sodium sulfate is used as an additive in cattle feed.
  • Na2SO4 increases Dietary Electrolyte Balance (DEB) value in monogastric diets.
  • Na2SO4 helps in the improvement of animal performance, such as weight gain and feed conversion ratio, especially under heat-stress conditions.
sodium1
Uses of Sodium sulfate

Conclusion

Sodium sulfate is commonly known as Disodium sulfate. Na2SO4 has a molar mass of 142.04 g/mol (anhydrous) and 322.20 g/mol (decahydrate). Na2SO4 melts at 8840C and has a boiling point of 14290C. Na2SO4 is soluble in glycerol, water and hydrogen iodide. Na2SO4 is an odourless solid.