8 Common Chemicals Used at Home – Compounds – Functions.

Chemical compounds is a chemical formula created by combining two or more chemical elements. Chemical compounds can be found everywhere including in household. Many household product is made or composed by some chemical compounds. Here some chemical compounds that common in household.

1. Sodium Hypochlorite

Sodium hypochlorite is one of the common chemicals used at home. Sodium hypochlorite is a compound composed from sodium salt ( Na+) and hypochlorite acid ( ClO^–). In household it is commonly known as bleaching and disinfectant, because it has ability to remove stains, from mold stains, dental stains caused by fluorosis, until crockery stains. In modern days, sodium hypochlorite can be made by passing chlorine into cold dilute sodium hydroxide solution. This process should be kept below 40^o celcius to keep it from forming a sodium chlorate.

Sodium hypochlorite has chemical formula as: NaClO

Sodium hypochlorite uses:

• Bleaching agent
  For bleaching agent, the composition for sodium hypochlorite is around 3-8 percent and 0,01-0,05 percent of sodium hydroxide. Sodium hydroxide helps slowering the decomposition of sodium hydroxide into sodium chloride and sodium chlorate.
• For disinfectant
  in pool or water treatment the measurement for sodium hypochlorite is around 12-16 percent.
• Skin care
  It can be used to prevent any skin damage by increasing cell growth in skin.
• Its also can be used to make deodorant.

2. Sodium Chloride

Sodium chloride or in household most common with a name table salt. Is the one most consumed production in the world. It is basically formed by combining sodium and chlorine with a ratio 1:1 of ion ( Na⁺ and Cl^–). Sodium chloride is categorized as inorganic compound as it is not produced naturally, means it is produced only when sodium combined with chloride. It is usually take a form of white crystal.

Sodium chloride has chemical formula as: NaCl

Sodium chloride uses:

• Table salt
  It is formed by combining 40 percent of sodium with 60 oercent of chloride. It is used as food preservative to add some salty flavour. It is also occur as salinity in seawater.
• Saline solution
  It is used in medical treatment to treat dehydration, clear congestion, clean the wounds, treat eye redden and dryness, also to crate mucus. Saline solution is made by dissolving it to water.
• Soda ash industry
  Sodium chloride is used to produce sodium carbonate and sodium chloride through solvay production. It is used for glass production.

3. Sodium Bicarbonate

Sodium bicarbonate is an inorganic compound created from sodium ( Na) and bicarbonate ( HCO). It is also called as sodium hydrogen carbonate. The term bi in bicarbonate comes from an old naming system and it is indicate that there are twice as much carbonate per sodium ion. Sodium bicarbonate often take a form of white crystall but sometimes can be seen as a powder. As it is categorized as salt it has characteristic salty and has alakline taste almost similiar to those washing soda. Sodium bicarbonate usually made through solvay process, which is a process of reaction from sodium chloride, ammonia, and carbon dioxide in water.

Sodium bicarbonate has chemical formula as: NaHCO₃

Sodium bicarbonate uses:

• Baking soda – Mostly used in cooking especially to make cake and cookies. Sodium bicarbonate will act as leavening agent to realise some carbon dioxide make it lightens and softens.
• Pest controller – Sodium bicarbonate can be used to kill cockroaches.
• pH Level – It can be used to adjust pH level in pool.
• Allergic Treats – It can be used to treat acid indigestion and heartburn. It will neutralize stomach acid. Its also can be used to treat allergic to plants.

4. Ethanol

Ethanol has several names likes alcohol and ethyl alcohol. It is a colorless liquid with a little odor scent. It is usually produced by fermented sugar by yeast or through petrochemical process. It has an addictive characteristic causing some drunkenness efect for those who consume it in sufficient amount. Ethanol is categorized as isomer or dimethyl ether, thus means it is composed by carbon from a methyl group ( CH₃-) attached to methylene group ( -CH₂-) and attached to hydroxyl group ( -OH).

Ethanol has chemical formula as: C2H6O or CH3-CH2-OH or C2H5-OH or EtOH.

Ethanol functions:

• It is effective to kill bacteria and fungi. It is most used in hand sanitizer.
• Act as antidote to methanol and ethylene glycol poisoning.
• It is used as engine fuel, rocket fuel, and household heater.
• It is easy to solve in water. Mostly used in paint, marker, even in care products such as a mouthwash, perfume, and deodorant.

5. Sodium Fluoride

Sodium fluoride is a colorless solid made by combining fluorocilicic acid and sodium hydroxide. It is an ionic compound made from separating Na⁺ ion and F^– neutralized from super-phosphate fertilizer. This process sometimes need alcohol to precipitate it. It is mostly used as preventive for tooth decay, and it has its best effect when has direct contact with tooth.

Sodium flouride functions:

• It often added to prevent cavities and to maintain tooth strength and health. It is also can be added in water for the same purpose, dental health.
• Flouride therapy. It often take a form of pill, liquid, or paste. It used for medical purpose mostly for bones diseases, such as osteoporosis, it can increase bone density.

Sodium flouride has chemical formula as: NaF

6. Acetic Acid

Acetic acid is a colorless liquid and categorized as organic compound. It can be called by its other name ethanoic acid. It is the second most simplest carboxylic acid made from acetyl group ( Ac) and hydroxyl group ( AcOH). It has a sour and sharp smell. It is consider as weak acid because it is easy to solve in solution. But it also can be corrosive and can damaging skin if it is concentrated.

Acetic acid has chemical formula as: CH₃COOH or CH₃CO₂H or C₂H₄O₂

Acetic acid functions:

• In vinegar the composition for acetic acid is around 3 – 8 percent become the main composition to make vinegar after water.
• Vynil acetate monomer. Mainly used in polymer or paint and adhesive ( glue, cement, paste).
• Acetic anhydride. Mostly used in paper textile and photograph film.
• Mostly used as solvent in paint, ink, and coating.

7. Ascorbic Acid

Ascorbic Acid or L- Ascorbic Acid is a vitamin that often found in food such as tomatoes, potatoes, red peppers, and fruits. Ascorbic Acid is categorized as a weak acid. It is produced from glucose through fermentation in modern days. Ascorbic Acid has an important role in enzymatic reaction, it is act as an reducing agent, donating and transmitting electrons to various enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions.

Ascorbic Acid has chemical formula as: C₆H₈O₆

Ascorbic Acid functions:

• Vitamin C. Its often used to prevent scurvy, cold, cardiovascular disease, and even chronmic disease.vitamin C has main function to repair any damage tissues. It is also often used in food for dietary supplement.

8. Acetylsalicylic Acid

Acetylsalicylic Acid is composed from salicylic acid reacted with acetic anhydrates, its reaction turns salicylic acid that first in hydroxyl group change to ester group ( R-OH into R-OCOCH₃). Acetylsalicylic Acid is white crystal and categorized as a weak acid. Acetylsalicylic Acid often smell like those vinegar. It is easy to decompose through hydrolysis. Its decomposed rapidly when reacted with alkalis. It is mainly used in medical sector.

Acetylsalicylic Acid has chemical formula as: C₉H₈O₄

Acetylsalicylic Acid functions:

• It is effective to reduce pain in headache, fever, migrain, and rheumatic fever. It also has been used as preventive for those who experience a heart attack. But its consumption has been restricted for children because it can give a fatal effect for those minor.

Source: https://azchemistry.com