Sodium gluconate
The sodium gluconate is a salt obtained from gluconic acid. It is a white crystalline powder that is highly soluble in water with several applications for different industries, such as:
- Construction (concrete additives)
- Textile industry
- Agriculture
- Water Treatment
- Cosmetic Industry
- Metalworking Industry
Sodium gluconate as concrete additive
The sodium gluconate is used as an additive for concrete formulation.
Some of its benefits are:
- It works as a retardant in the setting process.
- It is an agent that disperses and moistens the concrete ingredients, which provides greater stability, allows it to have greater adherence to metal reinforcements and reduces corrosion.
Sodium gluconate in textile
The sodium gluconate is a chelating agent used for the stabilization of concentrated alkaline solutions for the bleaching of textiles. Its solutions resist oxidation and reduction at high temperatures.
The sodium gluconate also inactivates metal ions through the formation of soluble complexes, which helps on:
- The shades and yields of direct dyes.
- The shades and yields of chromic-based acid dyes.
- Favoring uniform dyeing.
- Increasing resistance to friction.
Sodium gluconate in agriculture
Some of the benefits of the sodium gluconate in fertilizer formulations are:
- It works as a chelating agent for the essential metals involved in the nutrition and growth of the plants.
- The electrical charge of its molecules is neutral or slightly negative, which causes as consequence a quick absortion by the plants.
Sodium gluconate for water treatment
The sodium gluconate is an effective softener for industrial waters because in alkaline solutions, it works as a calcium, iron, aluminum, and zinc sequestrant.
Another of the sodium gluconate benefits for water treatment is its effect as a corrosion inhibitor. Compared to other corrosion inhibitors, its inhibitory effect increases as the temperature increases.
On the other hand, the chelating agent, creates stable metal ion complexes in neutral media and especially in alkaline media, which causes its purifying effect.
Sodium gluconate in cosmetic industry
The sodium gluconate is used to make cosmetic and personal care products. As it is a chelating agent, it associates with metal ions forming stable complexes, providing the following benefits in cosmetics:
- Prevents rancidity.
- Preserves the components.
- Helps stabilize the color.
- Works as a wetting agent.
Sodium gluconate for metal mechanic industry
As it is a chelating agent, the sodium gluconate isolates the calcium, iron, aluminum and zinc in alkaline solutions. It is used to formulate cleaning products for steel surfaces, where it removes rust and other corrosive substances on steel.
Due to its effectiveness on iron in sodium hydroxide solutions, it is the preferred sequestering agent for alkaline stripping.
