Is it possible to extract Cl from NaCl to get Na?

Question

Is it possible to extract Cl from NaCl to get Na?

Answer 1

"[Sodium] is now produced commercially through the electrolysis of liquid sodium chloride, based on a process patented in 1924. This is done in a Downs Cell in which the NaCl is mixed with calcium chloride to lower the melting point below 700 °C. As calcium is less electropositive than sodium, no calcium will be formed at the anode. This method is less expensive than the previous Castner process of electrolyzing sodium hydroxide."

Answer 2

try pouring some soda in it, that usually helps.

Answer 3

Yes

Answer 4

The simple answer is "yes".  The electrolysis of molten NaCl will produce molten sodium metal at the cathode (where reduction occurs) and chlorine gas at the anode (where oxidation occurs).

Place some carbon electrodes into NaCl that has been melted and kept molten.  Attached a battery across the electrodes and you will get Cl2 gas at the electrode attached to positive end of the battery, and molten sodium metal at the electrode attached to the negative end of the battery.

You may not want to try this at home.  It requires a high temperature to melt the sodium chloride and the chlorine gas that is produced in poisonous.  And of course sodium can be dangerous, too.

Humphry Davey just about did himself in when he used this method to discover sodium and potassium metals.

Answer 5

i would say so though i dont know of a process try this website,it has a paper on naCI i think  

Answer 6

Yeah, that's how they do it.