Why is sodium hypochlorite incompatible with alkalis?
Thread Content
I’m looking for the MSDS of sodium hypochlorite – why are bases listed as incompatible substances? Please help
It should be the dissolution heat that is taken into consideration, as sodium hypochlorite decomposes when heated.
Sodium hypochlorite is acidic and reacts chemically with alkaline substances; this is just my personal opinion for reference only!
I checked the safety technical manual, and it indeed states that alkalis are prohibited substances. However, sodium hypochlorite is a salt of a strong base and a weak acid, and it is basic in nature; therefore, it should not react with bases. I’m completely baffled.
The contraindication for sodium hypochlorite is acids; it does not react with bases
No reaction will occur, but alkalis will inhibit the hydrolysis of sodium hypochlorite
No information indicating that sodium hypochlorite is incompatible with alkalis has been found. One of the quality specifications for sodium hypochlorite is that the content of free alkali must not exceed a certain limit, in order to prevent high levels of free alkali from slowing down the hydrolysis rate of sodium hypochlorite. From this perspective, there is no safety risk associated with mixing it with alkalis.