Question icon
Grade 12th passPhysical Chemistry

Could you please provide the chemical reactions involed in the Industrial manufacture of Sodiumdichromate( Chemical equqtions /stoichiometric reactions)

Profile image of Kuppa RadhaKrishna
7 Years agoGrade 12th pass
Answers icon

1 Answer

Profile image of Arun
7 Years ago

Sodium dichromate is generated on a large scale from ores containing chromium(III) oxides. The ore is fused with a base, typically sodium carbonate, at around 1000 °C in the presence of air (source of oxygen):

{\displaystyle {\ce {2Cr2O3 + 4Na2CO3 + 3O2 -> 4Na2CrO4 + 4CO2}}}

This step solubilizes the chromium and allows it to be extracted into hot water. At this stage, other components of the ore such as aluminium and iron compounds, are poorly soluble. Acidification of the resulting aqueous extract with sulfuric acid or carbon dioxideaffords the dichromate:

{\displaystyle {\ce {2Na2CrO4 + 2CO2 + H2O -> Na2Cr2O7 + 2NaHCO3}}}

{\displaystyle {\ce {2Na2CrO4 + H2SO4 -> Na2Cr2O7 + Na2SO4 + H2O}}}

The dichromate is isolated as the dihydrate by crystallization. In this way, many millions of kilograms of sodium dichromate are produced annually.