[MR] Quick Lime (Lye)

[Walter Flomer]

sorry for teaching some real chemistry and not just alchemy.
you do not burn salt (NaCl, sodium chloride) to get soda ash (Na2CO3, sodium
carbonate)

the most common source of hydroxide and carbonate in the alchemy world was
ASH, there is a reason that Na2CO3 is called soda ash.

a little more alchemy, potassium and sodium are alkali metals, alkali is
arabic for plants, and potassium derives it's name from pot ash.

technically, soda ash is not an essential component of glass it is used in
the production of glass, along with sand, the carbonate loses carbon
dioxide.

Walter (looking for an alchemical SCA name)

----- Original Message -----
From: "Towey, Brian" <cbt4489 at GlaxoWellcome.com>
To: <atlantia at atlantia.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2001 1:48 PM
Subject: RE: [MR] Quick Lime (Lye)


> Thanks!  I hope that wasn't too pedantic.
>
> Soda ash is sodium carbonate (Na2CO3).  I'm not sure how it was made in
> period, perhaps by burning salt with something.  In some cases, it was
mined
> from natural deposits such as those of the Wadi Natron in Egypt.  When
> hydrated, it is washing soda.
>
> Soda ash is also ancient, being an essential component of glass and
certain
> pottery glazes.
>
> It would be cool to have an SCA workshop on medieval industrial chemistry,
> eh?  First we make charcoal and pitch in a fire pit.  Then, we use the
> charcoal to calcine some lime and burn some salt.  Then, we make
whitewash,
> cement, and lye.  Then, we add sand to soda and make glass, mix lye with
fat
> and make soap, mix sand and lime to make cement, etc....
>
> -BT
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: thurman [SMTP:hillth at navair.navy.mil]
> > Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2001 12:50 PM
> > To: Towey, Brian
> > Subject: Re: [MR] Quick Lime (Lye)
> >
> > Wow. I feel so Educated! So, along that line... what is soda ash?
> >
> >
> > > ...or made by mixing slaked lime with soda ash...
> > >
> >
>
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