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Sodium aluminate is also formed by the action of sodium hydroxide on elemental aluminium which is an amphoteric metal. The reaction is highly exothermic once established and is accompanied by the rapid evolution of hydrogen gas. The reaction is sometimes written as: 2Al + 2NaOH + 2H 2 O → 2NaAlO 2 + 3H 2
In hot concentrated hydrochloric acid, aluminium reacts with water with evolution of hydrogen, and in aqueous sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide at room temperature to form aluminates—protective passivation under these conditions is negligible. [9] The reaction with aqueous alkali is often written: [2] Al + NaOH + H 2 O → NaAlO 2 ...
Aluminium oxide is an amphoteric substance, meaning it can react with both acids and bases, such as hydrofluoric acid and sodium hydroxide, acting as an acid with a base and a base with an acid, neutralising the other and producing a salt. Al 2 O 3 + 6 HF → 2 AlF 3 + 3 H 2 O Al 2 O 3 + 2 NaOH + 3 H 2 O → 2 NaAl(OH) 4 (sodium aluminate)
In hot concentrated hydrochloric acid, aluminium reacts with water with evolution of hydrogen, and in aqueous sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide at room temperature to form aluminates—protective passivation under these conditions is negligible. [47] Aqua regia also dissolves aluminium. [46]
The reaction between sodium hydroxide and some metals is also hazardous. Aluminium, magnesium, zinc, tin, chromium, brass and bronze all react with lye to produce hydrogen gas. Since hydrogen is flammable, mixing a large quantity of lye with aluminium could result in an explosion. Both the potassium and sodium forms are able to dissolve copper.
Sodium hydroxide does not attack iron at room temperature, since iron does not have amphoteric properties (i.e., it only dissolves in acid, not base). Nevertheless, at high temperatures (e.g. above 500 °C), iron can react endothermically with sodium hydroxide to form iron(III) oxide, sodium metal, and hydrogen gas. [24]
There are many mixed oxides containing aluminium where there are no discrete or polymeric aluminate ions. The spinels with a generic formula A 2+ B 3+ 2 O 2− 4 that contain aluminium as Al 3+, such as the mineral spinel itself, MgAl 2 O 4 are mixed oxides with cubic close packed O atoms and aluminium Al 3+ in octahedral positions.
Aluminium hydroxide gels can be dehydrated (e.g. using water-miscible non-aqueous solvents like ethanol) to form an amorphous aluminium hydroxide powder, which is readily soluble in acids. Heating converts it to activated aluminas, which are used as desiccants , adsorbent in gas purification, and catalyst supports .