Sodium Acetate

Sodium acetate, also known as sodium ethanoate, is the sodium salt of acetic acid.

This colorless deliquescent salt has a wide range of uses. It is used in the textile industry to neutralize sulfuric acid waste streams and also as a photo resist while using aniline dyes. It is also a pickling agent in chrome tanning and helps to impede vulcanization of chloroprene in synthetic rubber production. In processing cotton for disposable cotton pads, sodium acetate is used to eliminate the buildup of static electricity.

In the construction industry, sodium acetate is used to mitigate water damage to concrete by acting as a concrete sealant, while also being environmentally benign and cheaper than the commonly-used epoxy alternative for sealing concrete against water permeation.

It may be added to food as a seasoning, sometimes in the form of Sodium Diacetate, a one-to-one complex of sodium acetate and acetic acid. It is often used to give potato chips a salt and vinegar flavor.

As the conjugate base of acetic acid, a solution of sodium acetate and acetic acid can act as a buffer to keep a relatively constant pH level. This is useful especially in biochemical applications where reactions are pH-dependent in a mildly acidic range (pH 4-6). Sodium acetate is also used in heating pads, hand warmers, and hot ice.

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