Lye
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Lye is another name for Caustic, Caustic Soda or Sodium Hydroxide whose chemical formula is written as NaOH. All these names refer to the same product. Lye is a name generally applied to Sodium Hydroxide when it is used in soap-making processes. Lye has been used for hundreds of years for the production of soap and soap-like products; indeed, Ancient Egyptian archaeologists have discovered evidence of its use as far back as Ancient Babylonion times.
Lye or Sodium Hydroxide still plays a major role in many processes today. It can be used as a cleaner or de-greaser in industrial processes, particularly where tanks or pipes have to be cleaned. Because Lye is 'exothermic' it reacts with water by producing heat. This reaction helps it to readily dissolve grease, oil, protein-based materials and hair.
In the home, Lye or Caustic is widely used as a drain cleaner, where it is mixed with other chemicals to achieve the most effective results. Lye has a 'slippery' feel to it and it is viscous, which helps it to adhere to the interior walls of drains and tanks.
Lye has some potentially very serious hazards which need to be read and understood before it is handled. Lye or Caustic is classified as a 'Corrosive' substance which means that strict legislation governs its handling and use. Further details of Sodium Hydroxide packaging, Sodium Hydroxide labelling and transporting Sodium Hydroxide can be found on the relevant pages of this website.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should always be used when handling Lye and again, further information can be found on the relevant web pages of this site.
The manufacture of Lye can take place in a number of ways - for example by the Castner-Kellner or Mercury Cell process, by the Diaphragm Cell process and the Membrane Cell process and details of these manufacturing methods can be found on the Sodium Hydroxide Manufacture web page.
http://www.sodium-hydroxide.co.uk/lye | Saved Thursday, January 28th, 2010 - 5:06 AM