Sodium carbonate — Solvay ammonia process

Known since ancient times, "natron", a natural sodium carbonate also known as "soda", was extracted from the ashes of reeds growing in the Lower Euphrates. In more recent times, the Spaniards produced "soda" by incinerating salsola or barilia, a plant grown on the saline soils of Andalusia.

In Brittany, soda ash was extracted from seaweed. This activity, which continued until the mid-19th century, gave rise to the common name for soda ash in English.

From 1797 onwards, the Leblanc process enabled the industrial manufacture of sodium carbonate, and for over half a century, "Leblanc soda" had no competitors.

In 1863 came the more economical Solvay process, which led to the gradual disappearance of the Leblanc process.

The industrial production of sodium carbonate using the Solvay process has contributed to the tremendous development of the industries that rely on this product: glassmaking, detergents, metallurgy and chemicals.

For further information, please consult references [1] [2] [3] [4].