Chemical Database

Sodium Hydroxide

Identifications

  • Formula: NaOH
    Elements: Hydrogen, Oxygen, Sodium
  • CAS Number: 1310-73-2
  • Caswell Number: 773
  • CCOHS Record Number: 565
  • RTECS Number: WB4900000
  • Synonyms/Related:
    • Aetznatron
    • Ascarite
    • C12569
    • Caustic soda
    • Caustic soda solution
    • Caustic soda, (etc.) see Sodium hydroxide etc
    • Caustic soda, bead
    • Caustic soda, dry
    • Caustic soda, dry, solid
    • Caustic soda, flake
    • Caustic soda, granular
    • Caustic soda, liquid
    • Caustic soda, solid
    • Caustic soda, solution
    • Collo-Grillrein
    • Collo-tapetta
    • Collo-trillrein
    • D01169
    • Fuers Rohr
    • Hydroxyde de sodium
    • Hydroxyde de sodium [French]
    • Lewis-Red Devil Lye
    • Liquid-plumr
    • Lye
    • Lye solution
    • NAO
    • NaOH
    • Natrium causticum
    • Natrium-hydroxid, reinstes
    • Natriumhydroxid
    • Natriumhydroxid [German]
    • Natriumhydroxyde
    • Natriumhydroxyde [Dutch]
    • Plung
    • Rohrputz
    • Rohrreiniger Rofix
    • Soda lye
    • Soda, caustic
    • Soda, hydrate
    • Soda, kaustische
    • Sodio (idrossido di)
    • Sodio(idrossido di) [Italian]
    • Sodium (hydroxyde de)
    • Sodium hydrate
    • Sodium hydrate solution
    • Sodium Hydroxide
    • Sodium hydroxide (JP14/NF)
    • Sodium hydroxide (liquid)
    • Sodium Hydroxide (lye)
    • Sodium hydroxide (Na(OH))
    • Sodium hydroxide (Na2(OH) 2)
    • Sodium hydroxide dimer
    • Sodium hydroxide liquid
    • Sodium hydroxide solution
    • Sodium Hydroxide [USAN]
    • Sodium hydroxide, bead
    • Sodium hydroxide, dry
    • Sodium hydroxide, dry solid, flake, bead
    • Sodium hydroxide, flake
    • Sodium hydroxide, granular
    • Sodium hydroxide, liquid
    • Sodium hydroxide, solid
    • Sodium hydroxide, solid [UN1823] [Corrosive]
    • Sodium hydroxide, solution [UN1824] [Corrosive]
    • Sodium hydroxide, solutions
    • SODIUM ION, 1 WATER COORDINATED
    • Sodium(hydroxyde de) [French]
    • White caustic
    • White caustic solution

Properties

  • Boiling Point: K °C °F
  • Flammability:
    • Explosive Limits:
      • Lower Explosive Limit: 0%
      • Upper Explosive Limit: 0%
    • Flammable Limits:
      • Lower Flammable Limit: 0%
      • Upper Flammable Limit: 0%
    • Flash Point K °C °F
    • Autoignition Temperature: K °C °F
  • Incompatiblities:
    • acids
    • aluminum
    • corrosive to metals
    • flammable liquids
    • metals
    • nitromethane
    • organic halogens
    • tin
    • water
    • zinc
  • Melting Point: K °C °F

Health & Regulatory Guidelines

  • EPA Regulations:
    • Reportable Quantity: 1000 Lbs
    • Threshold Planning Quantity: 0 Lbs
    • Marine Polutant: No
  • NIOSH Guidelines:
  • OSHA Regulations:
  • Health Risks: Highly Toxic

49 CFR 172.101 - Hazardous Materials Table

symHazardous materials description and proper shipping namesHaz class or divID#PGLCSpec prov §172.102Pack §173Qty limitVessel
ExcepNon BulkBulkPass air/railCargo air onlyLocOther
(1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8A)(8B)(8C)(9A)(9B)(10A)(10B)
Current as of Oct. 6, 2011
Caustic soda, (etc.) see Sodium hydroxide etcForbidForbid
Sodium hydrate, see Sodium hydroxide, solidForbidForbid
Sodium hydroxide solution8UN1824II8B2, IB2, N34, T7, TP2154202242ForbidForbidA52
Sodium hydroxide solution8UN1824III8IB3, N34, T4, TP1154203241ForbidForbidA52
Sodium hydroxide, solid8UN1823II8IB8, IP2, IP4, T3, TP33154212240ForbidForbidA52

2008 Emergency Response Guidebook Information

Produced by the US DOT the ERG is designed to aid first responders in quickly identifying specific or generic hazards of materials involved in an incident and protecting themselves and the general public during the initial response phase of an incident.

UN#GuideName of MaterialISOH20 ReactTIH Gas(es)
Current as of: Oct. 2, 2011
1823154Caustic soda, beadNoNo 
1823154Caustic soda, flakeNoNo 
1823154Caustic soda, granularNoNo 
1823154Caustic soda, solidNoNo 
1823154Sodium hydroxide, beadNoNo 
1823154Sodium hydroxide, dryNoNo 
1823154Sodium hydroxide, flakeNoNo 
1823154Sodium hydroxide, granularNoNo 
1823154Sodium hydroxide, solidNoNo 
1824154Caustic soda, solutionNoNo 

Related Resources

  • USDOT Hazardous Materials Table 49 CFR 172.101
    An online version of the USDOT's listing of hazardous materials from 49CFR 172.101. This table can be sorted by proper shipping name, UN/NA ID and/or by primary hazard class/division.
  • 2008 ERG (Emergency Response Guidebook)
    Have you ever wondered what those four digit numbers on the placards on the side of trucks and rail cars mean? Our online 2008 ERG will give you your answer. This is an online version of the guidebook produced by the USDOT for first responders during the initial phase of a Dangerous goods/HazMat incident. ERG data last verified/updated Oct. 2, 2011
  • US DOT Hazardous Materials Transportation Placards
    Hazardous materials placards (DOT placards) are required when shipping hazardous materials in the United States, Canada and Mexico. These pages provide US DOT definitions for each hazmat placard.
  • Guide for Handling Household Chemicals
    Things you can do to make your home safer.
  • Molarity, Molality and Normality
    Introduces stoichiometry and explains the differences between molarity, molality and normality.
  • Molar Mass Calculations and Javascript Calculator
    Molar mass calculations are explained and there is a JavaScript calculator to aid calculations.
  • Periodic Table of Elements
    Provides comprehensive data for each element of the periodic table of elements including up to 40 properties, names in 10 languages and common chemical compounds. Information also provided for 3,600 nuclides and 4,400 nuclide decay modes.

Editor's note: Some chemicals in this database contain more information than others due to the original reason this information was collected and how the compilation was accomplished.

While working with material safety data sheets (MSDS), I found that manufacturers sometimes used obscure names for constituent chemicals and I didn't always have a good idea of what I was dealing with. To resolve this problem, over the years, I compiled chemical names and identifiers into a personal database, cross referencing regulatory and health safety information when possible. Colleagues and friends eventually started suggesting that I make my data available on this website so that others could benefit from my efforts -- which I finally did in 2004. The more common, regulated and/or hazardous a chemical is, the more information I will have likely collected it.

Trademarks

If you are aware of any synonyms listed above that are registered trademarks, please contact us with relevant information so that trademarks can be appropriately noted.

Notes about mixtures

Some chemicals listed in this database or not pure chemical compounds, rather they are mixtures/solutions of chemicals. It is not uncommon for wide range of molar ratios of a mixture to be lumped together as "synonyms" of the same "chemical". In some instances chemicals that are very similar from a health & safety and/or regulatory standpoint also may have been lumped together.

Reference Sources

Data for this database was compiled from: hundreds of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) of common industrial and household products; the Hazardous Materials Table from the United States "Code of Federal Regulations" title 49 section 172.101; the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards; the US DOT 1996, 2000 & 2004 Emergency Response Guidebooks; U.S. National Library of Medicine and many other related resources.

Disclaimer

WARNING: These pages are for general reference and educational purposes only and MUST NOT be relied upon as a sole source to determine regulatory compliance or where matters of life and health are concerned. This site and the author do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy or the sufficiency of the information provided and do not assume any responsibility for its use.

To ensure regulatory compliance when transporting hazardous materials or dangerous goods, one must receive proper training and certification from a qualified instructor and refer to the current year's Code of Federal Regulations Title 49 (49CFR) or your country's shipping regulations. In matters regarding workplace safety, refer to current OSHA regulations (29CFR) and NIOSH guidelines or your own country's health and safety regulations. No one should ever enter into a hazardous environment without proper training from qualified instructors.

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