Conversion of Sodium Bicarbonate into Sodium Carbonate

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Conversion of Sodium Bicarbonate into Sodium Carbonate

Sodium carbonate on left and bicarbonate on right, both in oversaturated solutions. Pour sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) onto a non-aluminum pan or oven-safe dish. Place in the oven at 400ºF (205ºC) for one hour to release CO2. The resulting material should be of a slightly less powdery consistency, closer to sugar than flour. sodium carbonate feels a bit looser and grainier than bicarbonate, and in an oversaturated solution, sodium bicarbonate will remain powdery while sodium carbonate tends to rock up. NOTE This can also be done on a stove top/oven ring in a pot and take around 5-10 minutes to completely dehydrate (it becomes a fine light white powder and the CO2 stops bubbling through the powder).