Sodium Metal from Sodium Hydroxide

In this video i am making sodium metal with sodium hydroxide, magnesium and menthol which is one of the only simple chemical ways to get sodium metal!
Credits to NurdRage for making this procedure which i mostly followed:
• Make Sodium Metal with...
Theorized reactions from:
• Lab Notes - Fundamenta...

[@SvensLab]

Nice demonstration of the Nurdrage-sodium-process. It's such a nice and fairly easy reaction

[@MrMaddy1959]

Haha Nurdrage-sodium-process!

[@SvensLab]

@@MrMaddy1959 I mean how would you call it other ways? 😅

[@jodyclark3249]

I just watched his (Nurdrage) video where he raised the yield to 91%. I came here to share the link after watching your sodium cell video but I see you are already aware of this process. How do we become patrons?

[@renikun6243]

lol maybe i should read comments before i add one :D

[@dksmith605]

​@@SvensLabcall it as NurdRage does; "alcohol catalysed magnesium reduction"

[@tracybowling1156]

Even though the sodium didn't float, you still made it work. That is so cool to me. It's like burning your recipe, but magically you turn it into the best meal ever.

[@dracrichards5785]

That's NurdRages recipe. Good to see it still being used

[@aprilliac]

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of NurdRage"

[@zachreyhelmberger894]

Nice work!! So the Nurdrage process IS repeatable!!

[@renikun6243]

nurd rage method is so lovely great video!!

[@freedom_aint_free]

You could use it in the Diethyl Malonate synthesis or other esters synthesis, as alcoolates (R-O- Na+) are stronger bases than NaOH they can react even with very weak acids.

[@TBWave]

Make silicone softner, it's primarily used in textile industry.

[@ThatChemistOld]

the best way to coalesce all the sodium into one big ball is by melting in mineral oil, and adding a few drops of isopropanol

[@tracybowling1156]

This is probably a dumb question, but why do you call it Isopropanol and not Isopropyl (alcohol)? Is that the brand name? I've been wondering and wondering. ☺️

[@benashmore]

@@tracybowling1156 They mean exactly the same thing. Chemicals have lots of equally valid names, isopropanol and isopropyl alcohol are just common names for the IUPAC name for propan-2-ol (meaning the alcohol group is on the 2nd carbon). But you can also call the chain that the alcohol is attached to an isopropyl group, hence the other names. All the same :)

[@tracybowling1156]

@@benashmore Ah, thank you. This is a very detailed response. This is why I love YT, the such nice, smart people!!! Thanks again! ☺️☺️☺️

[@ryans3442]

All chemical names ending in ol indicate that it is an alcohol.methanol ethanol,isopropanol menthol etc. Methyl alcohol ethyl al

[@tracybowling1156]

@@ryans3442 See, these are the things I need to know. That makes so much sense. And I've never put it together. Thank you, kind Sir! ☺️

[@htomerif]

It might have been nice to know how much mass the flask lost. I know NurdRage has said its pretty destructive to borosilicate glassware at those temperatures and times but it would be nice to know if you have 100mg of flask in solution or 10g. Not sure what effect it would have but I haven't looked it up yet.

[@kpunkt98]

Wasn't the glassware-destruction problem adressed by adding the starter sodium? I think nurdrage mentioned it.

[@htomerif]

@@kpunkt98 Its been a while but no, I think the dissolving of borosilicate glass happens regardless. If I remember right, the starting sodium was to remove any water in the organic solvent. Maybe it was part of the same issue. I'd have to go back and watch probably his entire series on that to find out.

[@kpunkt98]

@@htomerif you're right about ot being for removal of water but i think removing the water was for the reason of avoiding glassware destruction. If i recall correctly he talked about starting sodium production by either using a lithium ion battery or sacrificing one flask.

[@xerolad4086]

I've never been able to get this to work. I've tried menthol and isoborneol as catalysts. I've tried using a Li strip. I've tried pre-drying the NaOH. Result: I've ruined 2 flasks, and got no Na. I'm beginning to think this is some sort of chemistry gag meme. Maybe it's just too humid where I live.

[@htomerif]

@@xerolad4086 I haven't tried it myself. It does seem slow enough and expensive enough that just doing it by electrolysis in some clay pots might be easier. I have tried doing it that way and made plenty of sodium just using a car battery charger. I guess thats not really the point though. Unless you live somewhere where sodium metal is illegal to buy, its pretty cheap on ebay or whatever in huge quantities.

[@kleetus92]

You need to check out Nurdrage's channel. NurdRage did this a couple of years ago, and managed to do it without chewing up the glassware.

[@robertguenther6710]

Just curious where you find magnesium metal? When you look online magnesium powder for nutrition comes up, also seen it comes with firestarter but is there another way to obtain magnesium powder from other products?

[@angelodallarmellina8965]

It s possible to use alluminium instead of magnesium?

[@Gman193]

Has this been tryed with aluminium powder?

[@jannikelspa8511]

Is it possible to use sodium to start the reaction for the potassium version of this synthesis or is it to dangerous because of the possible formation of NaK ? I'm very curious about this topic and don't really want to try it.

[@larsrummert7619]

NurdRage right now:

[@spudhead169]

Violence against sodium containing bottles is getting to be a big problem.

[@ГориславЭль-Норман]

Было бы здорово такую реакцию провести, но у меня аллергия на ментол

[@FyaaahS]

Nice!

[@alcyonecrucis]

Bump

[@tahallium]

Slaaay

[@markshort9098]

Without the sodium or at least sodium/magnesium from a thermite reaction or lithium to remove all water, it eats the hell out of the flask.. i tried it without something to remove all the water and it completely failed and chewed half way through the bottom of the flask.. i think mine completely failed because my sodium hydroxide was to wet despite coming from a new container

[@michaelf7093]

Yes, use lithium. Also, oven your NaOH to dry it a bit. I also oven my Mg, and stir my oil with some ovened MgSO4, then filter, first. Get as dry as you can, so as to not ask too much of the lithium. And stir for a good while with the Li, before turning on the heat.

[@ryans3442]

Most naoh pellets contain~10% water. Wrap a lithium strip or 2 from a battery around the stirbar and reflux b4 going up to the higher rxn temperature

[@stevengill1736]

@@ryans3442 Yes - sinilar to a Grignard reaction. So technically this would work with KOH, LiOH. etc? What about carbonates? And Cs, Rb as well, or too reactive as metals? Nice to have an inert gas atmosphere too probably...

[@ryans3442]

I've had the same ideas on these rxns as the suggestions you just made and while this rxn works for hydroxides but not carbonates it does work on rubidium (a sciencemadness member named pok did it)&KOH(nurdrage video) no one has tried cesium yet and nurdrage failed when trying it on LiOH. I reckon a thermite variation will work if done under an argon atmosphere (lithium reacts with nitrogen)

[@NautsuJJR]

@@stevengill1736 according to some reports on sciencemadness forums (I cant confirm or deny these as Ive never tried this myself) it actually works faster and better with KOH. LiOH apparently doesnt work and nobody's tried RbOH or CsOH

[@Petemate69]

Hexanes(low boiling petroleum depending on access) is great for cleaning off the mineral oil so you have better seperation.

[@user-kt3lc6rr8u]

Great video!! I always love seeing the Na come together when 2-propanol is added!

[@science_and_anonymous]

Thank you nurdrage!

[@nickbonsavage2586]

Useful to see another iteration of nurdrages thing, helps give clarity by seeing the same thing explained and demonstrated from a different angle

[@MrBradshawbenjamin]

Repetition is key!

[@rusty-dy3gz]

I love this reaction. It took me a while to find out why my stir bars would die but once I got that figured out I got tons of sodium. A lot of people quit and gave up on this synthesis.

[@ThatChemistOld]

I would love to see this reaction done on a kilo scale

[@flaplaya]

I'd be weary of reaction running away

[@ThatChemistOld]

@@flaplaya even better

[@ryans3442]

I've been thinking about the same thing. Large scale sodium in a 6liter Erlenmeyer. Or a big ass steel pot. Really it's the only way to get a 1/4 -1/2 kilo yeild of sodium. U don't want to run the 15hr rxn 50x just to get enough sodium to have on tap

[@MaxCarponera]

This is the NurdRage protocol. He developed it for a year. Lookup his videos.

[@igext]

He has credited and referenced NurdRage in the description...

[@petevenuti7355]

nurdrage mentioned in his video some collaboration with other amateur chemists too..

[@TheMaskedRacoon1]

Cool!

[@flaplaya]

If I attempted this my yield would be zero probably haha

[@roelsvideosandstuffs1513]

People be like it is the nurdrage recipe. Meanwhile nurdrage and the actual person who made a different recipe. "Stop comparing our recipe to his" 😂

[@jonnymakeschemicals2714]

So can someone explain why when i do this reaction it works so good that it only takes about 4 hours from start to finish to make me some sodium. i even get about 90-95% yield. also i found that super fine magnesium powder for what ever reason dose not work.

[@jadentonkin466]

Bro some of that sodium superoxide at 0:34 makes it look like gold at the right ratio

[@frankpower97]

I see the nurdrage in you my man, I am really happy to have a more professional looking video of the process

[@drasiella]

I like how first videos of yt chemists sound so calm and sleepy

[@MrApple-yw9vp]

Nice , first time I see this reaction to get matal Sodium

[@karolus28]

cool

[@jozefnovak7750]

Super!

[@michaelsambor5286]

cool

[@neb_setabed]

Nice

[@Berghiker]

Can you make another video without using sodium metal?

[@king_james_official]

what bruh

[@amarissimus29]

Saw this thumbnail and immediately thought of NR. I remember well assiduously taking notes on his (and others') videos... so much helpful practical stuff that you don't get in the textbook. KZbin can disappear videos, but they can't have my notes back.

[@tyt0uoff146]

I see that everyone of the european home chemists are getting they're chemicals from laboratorium discounter

[@ghlscitel6714]

Next time show Boron metal production with Borax?

[@tokajileo5928]

can you do it without oil but in Ar athmosphere?

[@yusefsadik8653]

Is there any investigation on this catalytic reaction ?

[@kinexkid]

I love it! I can't believe I missed this

[@demidrol5660]

Nurdrage is my hero!

[@LucDeLaat]

Kan zoiets ook met keukenzout?

[@frankmercer7009]

Nice work.

[@shanecoyle3676]

Question why does alcohol remove he oxidation on the alkali metals. I am pretty sue I saw NileRed do something similar Thanks.

[@monarchatto6095]

The oxidation state?

[@exzeltgaming]

Could it be that the yield was low because the reaction mixture was cooled with the stopper removed? It may have caused air to get in which reacted with the hot sodium and destroyed some of it

[@Chemiolis]

There is overpressure in the flask of evaporating solvent and other gases, so likely not a lot of air going in. Besides, it would have to dissolve into the hot oil. Hot liquids barely dissolve any gases. If i would put a stopper it will fly off.

[@exzeltgaming]

@@Chemiolis thank you for the explanation!

[@unlockeduk]

this wa ca huge break through for ameteur chemistry by nurdrage there wqas no simple way of making sodiumk at home before this

[@call.me.heisenberg6990]

Does this also work with KOH to get K?