Section
| HS Code | 555889 |
| Product Name | Sodium Formate |
| Chemical Formula | HCOONa |
| Molecular Weight | 68.01 g/mol |
| Cas Number | 141-53-7 |
| Einecs Number | 205-488-0 |
| Appearance | White crystalline powder or granules |
| Odor | Odorless or slight formic acid odor |
| Density | 1.92 g/cm³ at 20 °C |
| Melting Point | 253 °C with decomposition |
| Water Solubility | Soluble in water |
| Organic Solvent Solubility | Slightly soluble in ethanol; insoluble in ether |
| Ph | Mildly alkaline in aqueous solution |
| Hygroscopicity | Hygroscopic |
As an accredited Sodium Formate factory, we enforce strict quality protocols—every batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure consistent efficacy and safety standards.
| Packing | Sodium Formate is supplied in 25 kg multilayer paper sacks with polyethylene liners, sealed for moisture protection and safe transport. |
| Container Loading (20′ FCL) | Sodium Formate is packed in 25 kg bags, palletized, and securely loaded into a dry 20-foot FCL container. |
| Shipping | Sodium Formate is generally shipped as a non-hazardous, non-DG chemical in moisture-proof bags, drums, or FIBCs. Keep containers closed, dry, and protected from humidity; store in a cool, well-ventilated area away from oxidizers. Follow local regulations and the SDS. |
| Storage | Sodium formate is hygroscopic. Store it in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight and moisture. Keep containers tightly closed when not in use. Separate from strong oxidizers, acids, and incompatible materials. Prevent dust generation, use appropriate personal protective equipment, and follow local chemical storage regulations. Do not store near food, drink, or animal feed. |
| Shelf Life | Sodium formate typically has a shelf life of about two years when kept dry, sealed, and stored in a cool, ventilated area. |
The application routes described below are restricted to commercially established downstream uses of sodium formate: leather tanning, wellbore fluids, cold-weather concrete, airside de-icing, sodium dithionite synthesis, and silage preservation. Each profile includes the relevant compliance instrument, dosage or feed concentration, manufacturing process integration, and terminal product class; no exploratory or pilot-stage chemistry is included.
In chrome-tanned leather manufacture, sodium formate is deployed as a carboxylate masking ligand for chromium(III) sulfate complexes, moderating the basification curve and preventing localized precipitation of chromium hydroxide on the grain. The compliance boundary for this use is set by Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH), Annex XVII entry 47, which restricts chromium(VI) in leather articles coming into contact with skin to 3 mg/kg total dry leather when tested according to ISO 17072-1:2019; tanneries operating under ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List v3.2 additionally track sodium formate as an approved process auxiliary rather than a restricted substance. In production-scale drums, the material is introduced after the pickled pelt reaches pH 2.8–3.0, with a typical addition of 0.5–1.5% sodium formate on fleshed pelt mass and a narrower working window of 0.8–1.2% when paired with 0.4–0.8% sodium bicarbonate as the final basifying agent. The process sequence involves deliming and bating, sulfuric/formic acid pickling, then a float ratio of 0.5–1.0 in a 12–16 rpm stainless drum; after 60 min of chrome uptake, predissolved sodium formate is dosed through the hollow axle, and basification proceeds over 3–4 h to a terminal float pH of 3.8–4.0 at 38–40 °C. Terminal outputs include automotive seat leather, shoe upper leather, nappa garment leather, and gloving leather; the process is not suited to vegetable-tanned sole leather or wet-white production because the carboxylate ligand shifts chromium uptake into the grain and may reduce bulk penetration of condensed vegetable tannins. Overdosing above 2.5% on pelt mass creates a fast-fixation condition where chromium is precipitated in the grain layer, leading to loose grain, papery handle, and uneven anionic dye uptake in subsequent neutralizing and retanning steps.
Saturated sodium formate solutions at 20 °C reach a maximum solution density of approximately 1.33 g/cm³, a value that positions sodium formate brines between potassium chloride and calcium bromide systems for solids-free completion and workover operations. The primary compliance reference is API RP 13J:2014 for testing of heavy brines, which mandates field verification of density, crystallization point, alkalinity, and visible clarity before displacement; for North Sea discharges, the product is handled under the OSPAR Offshore Chemical Notification Framework, where the formate salt class is assessed for persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity rather than automatically approved. In a typical batch preparation for a 1.30 g/cm³ workover fluid, dry sodium formate is added to deionized water at 35–40 wt%, mixed in an 800–1,200 L high-shear eductor tank, passed through 1 µm absolute cartridge filtration, and then transferred into heated storage to avoid surface crystallization. The production-scale function is as a clear, monovalent brine that provides hydrostatic control without the clay swelling and mineral dissolution associated with divalent chloride brines; at 1.30 g/cm³ the solution typically exhibits a viscosity below 5 mPa·s at 25 °C, allowing for displacement through 7-inch casing without excessive circulating pressures. Terminal product categories include high-pressure/high-temperature gas well completion fluid, packer fluid for long-term annular isolation, kill fluid for workover interventions, and hydrate-inhibiting constituent in underbalanced drilling fluid formulations. The limiting operational boundary is cold-temperature crystallization in unheated surface tanks when ambient temperatures fall below the brine crystallization point; continuous recirculation or heat tracing is required for saturated or near-saturated batches, and the addition of potassium formate may be specified where lower crystallization points and higher density are required, although this changes the cost profile and must be evaluated against formation water compatibility.
Cold-weather concrete specifications in northern climates require accelerating admixtures that do not introduce chloride ions into reinforced concrete, and sodium formate has an established use as a non-chloride accelerator under ASTM C494/C494M-19 Type C and EN 934-2:2009+A1:2012 Table 2. The addition ratio is tightly constrained because the sodium ion contributes to the equivalent alkali loading of the mix; at 1.0% sodium formate by mass of cement, the contribution is approximately 0.46% Na2O equivalent, which must be entered into alkali-silica reaction assessments under ASTM C1260 or ASTM C1293 where reactive aggregates are present. In ready-mix plants, sodium formate is predissolved in batch water at 20–25 °C to avoid caking, then introduced after aggregate and cement with a dosage range of 0.5–2.0% by cement mass; winter concreting at 5 °C usually selects 1.0–1.5%, and the upper commercial limit is 3.0% because acceleration plateaus while efflorescence potential and alkali availability increase. The downstream production process includes batching into a 100–150 mm slump concrete mix with 0.40–0.50 water-to-cement ratio, placement in insulated forms, and curing under ACI 306.1 cold-weather procedures; setting-time verification follows ASTM C403/C403M penetration resistance, and compressive strength gain is benchmarked against ASTM C39/C39M-21. Terminal product categories include winter foundation slabs, bridge pier repair mortars, precast manhole rings, and shotcrete for tunnel lining; the accelerator is not appropriate for high-alkali aggregate mixtures without parallel ASR mitigation, and compatibility with air-entraining agent demand should be tested by ASTM C231 because formate salts can alter bubble spacing factors in some low-slump concrete designs.
For airside pavement maintenance protocols, sodium formate appears in liquid anti-icing formulations where corrosion damage to aircraft aluminum alloys and cadmium-plated fasteners is a maintenance-cost driver. The governing compliance framework is SAE AMS 1435C for liquid runway and taxiway deicing/anti-icing chemicals, which sets corrosion, toxicity, and materials compatibility requirements; airport operators additionally require conformity with FAA AC 150/5200-30 winter operations guidance and local stormwater discharge permits. Liquid anti-icing is typically applied at 20–40 g/m² as a preventive film before freezing precipitation, while active de-icing of compacted ice and snow on runways requires 40–100 g/m², with solid sodium formate granules spread at 20–40 g/m² when only granular equipment is available. The production-side process involves dissolving technical-grade sodium formate to 50% (w/w) aqueous concentrate in heated stainless steel tanks, transferring to airport tankers with calibrated spray booms of 4–6 bar operating pressure, and applying at vehicle speeds of 40–60 km/h; the runoff is captured in airport stormwater retention systems because the organic load exerts biochemical oxygen demand. Terminal product categories include runway, taxiway, apron, and helipad anti-icing agents for civil and military airfields, as well as bridge deck and parking structure deicers where chloride-induced rebar corrosion is unacceptable. The operational boundary is set by pavement temperatures: the useful melting range of sodium formate formulations extends to approximately -10 °C, and at lower temperatures the application rate cannot offset ice adhesion without exceeding reasonable chemical load; the product is therefore specified for moderate winter climates or as part of a two-stage treatment with mechanical snow removal, rather than as a standalone solution for extreme arctic airfields.
When sodium formate is selected as the reducing-side feedstock in continuous sodium dithionite production, the process operates under inert gas blanketing with strict redox potential control, not as a simple dissolution step. The compliance framework for this intermediate use is REACH registration for industrial use as a synthesis intermediate, plus ISO 9001:2015 process-quality control for product batches destined for textile or pulp mills; no food-contact or pharmaceutical-grade claim applies to this route. The feed stream is prepared as a 45–55 wt% sodium formate slurry in a mixed methanol-water medium, and the formate-to-sulfur dioxide ratio is controlled by in-line pH and redox sensors rather than fixed volumetric metering, with the reaction maintained under nitrogen at near-atmospheric pressure. The downstream process consists of continuous stirred-tank reaction with sulfur dioxide and sodium carbonate/caustic soda, followed by vacuum filtration, methanol recovery, and drying; the resulting sodium dithionite is then packaged in airtight drums or dissolved into stabilized liquid products. Terminal product categories include sodium dithionite for vat dyeing of cotton, reduction clearing of polyester, pulp bleachery brightening, kaolin bleaching, and oxygen scavenging in boiler feedwater. Published data for this specific sodium formate configuration is limited because dithionite producers treat exact stoichiometry and reactor residence times as proprietary; however, the use of low-iron, low-sulfur sodium formate is an accepted measure to reduce discoloration and byproduct sulfate formation in the finished hydrosulfite.
Feed hygiene applications of sodium formate are concentrated in ensiled grass, whole-crop cereals, and high-moisture maize, where the formate anion suppresses clostridial fermentation and reduces dry-matter loss during anaerobic storage. The regulatory anchor for this downstream segment is Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 on feed additives, under which sodium formate is authorized as a technological silage additive in the European Union, with national registration required for each marketed formulation; silage evaluation follows ISO 6496:2001 for dry matter and ISO 6495-1:2019 for water-soluble chloride where chlorinated co-additives are excluded. Application rates on commercial farms are 3–6 kg/t fresh matter for grass silage and 4–8 kg/t for wet maize or whole-crop cereal silage, with the lower end used when dry matter exceeds 30% and the upper end targeted at wetter crops below 25% dry matter. The downstream process integrates a calibrated onboard dosing pump on the forage harvester, injecting a liquid sodium formate solution into the chopper blower at 0.5–1.5% of throughput to ensure uniform distribution through the mat, followed by rapid compaction and airtight sealing in bunker or clamped silos. Terminal product categories include dairy and beef cattle total mixed ration silages, biogas feedstock silage, and ensiled moist grain; the additive is not intended as a direct-fed acidifier in dry feed at these rates, and published data for high-dry-matter haylage above 35% dry matter show reduced fermentation response, making alternative organic acid combinations more common in that moisture range.
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Sodium formate (CAS 141-53-7, EINECS 205-488-0) is supplied as a white crystalline solid with molecular weight 68.007 g·mol⁻¹, melting point 253 °C, and bulk density 0.70–0.90 g/cm³. The product is manufactured either by high-pressure reaction of carbon monoxide with sodium hydroxide or as a crystallized by-product of pentaerythritol production. Commercial grades are defined by purity, residual moisture, halide content, and particle size rather than by a single model designation. A technical-grade powder is typically specified as ≥97.0% HCOONa on dry basis with moisture ≤0.5% by ISO 760:1978, chloride ≤0.20% and sulfate ≤0.05% by ISO 10304-1:2007, and iron ≤10 mg/kg by ISO 17294-2:2016. The pH of a 100 g/L aqueous solution at 25 °C is 7.8–8.6 when measured in accordance with ISO 10523:2008.
Form and packaging are product-model differentiators. Powder grades pass 80 mesh and dissolve rapidly in cold water; granular grades retain on 20 mesh and pass 60 mesh to reduce dust during open-bag charging; liquid grades are supplied at 30 wt% or 40 wt% in IBCs or bulk tank containers. Bagged solid is typically packed in 25 kg or 1000 kg woven polypropylene sacks with polyethylene liners. The representative limits in Table 1 distinguish by-product, technical, and refined grade materials.
| Parameter | Unit | By-product grade | Technical grade | Refined grade | Test method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assay (dry basis) | wt% | ≥92.0 | ≥97.0 | ≥98.5 | Acid-base titration |
| Moisture | wt% | ≤1.0 | ≤0.5 | ≤0.3 | ISO 760:1978 |
| Chloride (Cl⁻) | wt% | ≤0.30 | ≤0.20 | ≤0.05 | ISO 10304-1:2007 |
| Sulfate (SO₄²⁻) | wt% | ≤0.10 | ≤0.05 | ≤0.02 | ISO 10304-1:2007 |
| Iron (Fe) | mg/kg | ≤50 | ≤10 | ≤5 | ISO 17294-2:2016 |
| pH, 100 g/L, 25 °C | — | 7.5–9.0 | 7.8–8.6 | 7.8–8.4 | ISO 10523:2008 |
The analytical difference among grades is not solely sodium formate content. By-product grade recovered from pentaerythritol mother liquor can carry residual formaldehyde, methanol, and sodium carbonate, which are reduced in refined grade through recrystallization and vacuum drying. Refined grade is used where residual reducing agents interfere with downstream formulation, such as in textile dyeing, oilfield polymer hydration, and synthetic leather tanning. The continuous crystallization route uses forced-circulation crystallizers with vacuum cooling; product particle size is controlled by residence time and seed crystal surface area. A production-scale batch of granular material from a continuous crystallizer may show particle-size distribution variation of ±5% on 20 mesh retention unless screening is installed after the dryer, a processing bottleneck observed when a single crystallizer supplies both powder and granular packaging lines.
In oilfield drill-in and completion fluids, sodium formate is selected as a monovalent formate brine where halide brines create excessive corrosion or environmental restrictions. The saturated clear-fluid density is lower than potassium formate brines; sodium formate is therefore assigned to low- and moderate-pressure formations with required densities below 1.35 g/cm³. Sodium formate brines are compatible with xanthan gum, starch, and polyanionic cellulose hydration at pH 8.5–10.0, but divalent calcium in makeup water above 400 mg/L as CaCO₃ can precipitate insoluble salts. De-icing formulations using 30 wt% sodium formate provide freeze protection in the range of −15 °C to −20 °C; potassium formate at 50 wt% remains pumpable below −50 °C. Consequently, sodium formate is used for moderate winter maintenance and airport apron de-icing but not for extreme low-temperature runway fluids. Aqueous sodium formate should not be combined with strong oxidizing biocides such as hypochlorite, because formate oxidation to carbon dioxide can reduce biocide residual and generate heat. Published data for the full viscosity-temperature curve of saturated sodium formate brines is limited.
In Portland cement systems, sodium formate is added at 1.0–2.0% by mass of cement as a non-chloride set accelerator. It is evaluated against ASTM C494/C494M-19 Type C, using concrete mixtures with cement content 350 kg/m³, water-to-cement ratio 0.50, and slump 100±20 mm. Isothermal conduction calorimetry per ASTM C1679 on cement pastes containing 2.0% sodium formate shows an earlier heat-flow peak by 30–60 min at 20 °C. Vicat needle measurements under ASTM C191-21 indicate initial set time reductions of 15–35% relative to the same mixture without admixture. The acceleration mechanism differs from calcium formate: sodium formate raises the rate of alite hydration through pore-solution pH and anion effects, but it does not supply additional calcium. This avoids the calcium formate tendency to produce rapid stiffening in low-calcium systems, but it also limits the early-age strength benefit in silica-fume-modified mixes. Mortar compressive strength at 24 h may increase by 5–15% at 2.0% dosage relative to control, measured on 50 mm cubes by ASTM C109/C109M-21; at 28 d the difference narrows to less than 5%, confirming set acceleration rather than long-term strength enhancement. The product is therefore limited to set-time control and early stiffening, not ultimate compressive-strength promotion.
Process-control boundaries are narrow. Above 2.5% by cement mass, the risk of early stiffening and increased drying shrinkage rises, particularly in high-C3A cements with tricalcium aluminate content above 10%. On a twin-shaft mixer with ≥1.0 m³ batch size, the addition sequence should be calibrated so that sodium formate is introduced after cement is wetted; otherwise polycarboxylate ether superplasticizers may show adsorption competition and slump loss. For steam-cured precast elements, curing temperatures above 50 °C with sodium formate at 2.0% have been associated with rapid slump loss and surface cracking on production beds. Field reports from precast plants indicate that the acceptable dosage window narrows by approximately 1.0 percentage point when placing temperature exceeds 35 °C. Published data for the exact activation energy of sodium formate acceleration in cement paste is limited; plant trials are required before full substitution in structural concrete.
Sodium formate, potassium formate, and calcium formate differ in solubility, density, cation chemistry, and cost. Sodium formate has a saturated water solubility of 97 g/100 mL at 20 °C; potassium formate reaches 331 g/100 mL, and calcium formate is limited to 16 g/100 mL. This solubility gap defines de-icing and drill-in fluid boundaries. Sodium formate brines remain stable below 1.35 g/cm³, while potassium formate brines can be blended above 1.50 g/cm³ without solid precipitation. Calcium formate is not used as a high-density brine; it is supplied as a solid additive for cement. Sodium acetate is included in Table 2 because it is a common buffering alternative, but it lacks the freezing-point depression of formate brines and introduces acetate-specific biological oxygen demand considerations.
| Property | Sodium formate | Calcium formate | Potassium formate | Sodium acetate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula | HCOONa | (HCOO)₂Ca | HCOOK | CH₃COONa |
| Molecular weight, g·mol⁻¹ | 68.007 | 130.11 | 84.12 | 82.03 |
| Melting point, °C | 253 | >300 decomposes | 167 | 324 |
| Water solubility at 20 °C, g/100 mL | 97 | 16 | 331 | 123 |
| pH, 10 wt% solution | 7.8–8.6 | 6.5–7.5 | 8.0–9.0 | 8.5–9.5 |
| Key selection driver | moderate-density brine; non-chloride accelerator | calcium source for cement acceleration | high-density, low-temperature brine | buffering and food-grade applications |
In cement applications, sodium formate and calcium formate differ by calcium contribution. Calcium formate supplies 30.8% calcium by mass and accelerates C3S hydration through additional calcium ions; sodium formate supplies sodium and formate ions and is selected where calcium ion addition would alter sulfate balance or increase early-age ettringite formation. In oilfield use, sodium formate is preferred over potassium formate when lower brine density and lower osmotic activity are acceptable; potassium formate is specified for high-density, low-crystallization-temperature drill-in fluids. Sodium formate differs from sodium acetate by the formate ion’s reducing behavior and lower molecular weight, which affects freezing-point depression per unit mass. The difference in water solubility also means sodium acetate is less suitable for high-concentration winter maintenance fluids.
In leather tanning, sodium formate is used as a buffering salt during chromium uptake at 0.5–1.0% of delimed hide weight. The formate ion moderates the basification step and maintains float pH at 3.8–4.2 when combined with sodium bicarbonate or magnesium oxide. Chromium exhaustion is improved without the precipitating risk of sodium acetate at low temperature. In polyester dyeing, sodium formate is used as a pH buffer in formic acid systems, replacing acetic acid to reduce volatile organic carbon in effluent. In flue-gas desulfurization and selective catalytic reduction, sodium formate is used as an intermediate reducing agent or buffer; however, published data for these specific configurations is limited.
Sodium formate powder is hygroscopic above 60% relative humidity; storage in sealed liners or pre-drying is required to maintain free-flow behavior. The material is incompatible with strong mineral acids, which release formic acid vapour, and with strong oxidizers, which may initiate exothermic decomposition. Aqueous solutions should be stored in 316L stainless steel or high-density polyethylene; carbon steel vessels may shed iron contamination over extended storage at pH 8.0–9.0. The dry solid is combustible but not classified as flammable. Occupational exposure to sodium formate dust should be controlled by local regulations; the product is not classified as hazardous for transport under ADR/RID and is registered under REACH as a non-restricted industrial chemical. Technical-grade material is not intended for food or pharmaceutical use; if such use is proposed, the appropriate purity grade, additive code, and residual organic profile must be verified against 21 CFR or Ph. Eur. monographs.
