Sodium Molybdate

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Ferro-Vanadium
Vanadium Pentoxide
Ferro-Molybdenum
Molybdenum Disulfide
Molybdenum Trioxide
Sodium Molybdate
Ferro Niobium
Niobium Pentoxide
Lithium Hydroxide
Lithium Carbonate
Manganese Metal Lumps
Electrolytic Manganese Metal Flakes
Low Carbon Ferro Chrome
Chromium Metal

Sodium Molybdate, Na2MoO4, is useful as a source of molybdenum. It is often found as the dihydrate, Na2MoO4•2H2O.The molybdate (VI) anion is tetrahedral. Two sodium cations coordinate with every one anion.

History:

Sodium molybdate was first synthesized by the method of hydration. A more convenient synthesis is done by dissolving MoO3 in sodium hydroxide at 50-70 °C and crystallizing the filtered product. The anhydrous salt is prepared by heating to 100 °C.

Uses:

Sodium molybdate is used in biochemistry and medicinal chemistry to track various organic chemicals that are colorless after a chromatographical procedure, which it always stains blue. The blue color is also called molybdenum blue. The agriculture industry uses 1 million pounds per year as a fertilizer. However, care must be taken because at a level of 0.3 ppm sodium molybdate can cause copper deficiencies in animals, particularly cattle.

It is used for water treatment.

It is used in industry for corrosion inhibition, as it is a non-oxidizing anodic inhibitor. The addition of sodium molybdate significantly reduces the nitrite requirement of fluids inhibited with nitrite-amine, and improves the corrosion protection of carboxylate salt fluids.

According to an article from 1950 that was published in Nature, sodium molybdate is useful for curing a broccoli disease known as ‘whiptail’.

Reactions:

When reacted with sodium borohydride, molybdenum is reduced to a lower valent oxide:

Precautions:

Sodium molybdate is incompatible with alkali metals, most common metals and oxidizing agents. It will explode on contact with molten magnesium. It will violently react with interhalogens (e.g., bromine pentafluoride; chlorine trifluoride). Its reaction with hot sodium, potassium or lithium is incandescent.

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NaMo0.42H20
99

Mo
39.3 Min

Insoluble Matter
0.05 Max

Fe
0.001 Max

Cl
0.05 Max

Cu
0.001 Max

SO4
0.2 Max

PO4
0.005 Max

NH4
0.005 Max

PH
8.5-9