“Sodium chloride” sounds like a sophisticated term until you realize it just refers to common table salt. However, only 6 percent of the world’s salt is manufactured for food purposes. So what happens to the other 94 percent? Bell Chem, the Jacksonville chemical supplier, stocks sodium chloride for use in labs, welding, soldering, metal casting, and food preparation, proving that salt can surprise you with its limitless versatility.

• In states prone to freezing temperatures and dangerous black ice, sodium chloride is dispersed along road surfaces to melt existing ice and prevent new ice from forming, doing so in temperatures as low as -6°F. Approximately 8 percent of salt manufactured worldwide is used to melt icy roads.

• Salt is a natural emulsifier. It readily blends oils into water, which industries frequently use to create synthetic rubber, essential oil dispersants, and more.

• Pottery can be fired through a “salt glazing” process, in which salt is added into the kiln when it reaches 2000°F. This then releases sodium, which behaves as a flux to the silica in the pottery, allowing the vapors to melt the surface and produce a strong, ceramic glaze.

• When added to drilling fluid, sodium chloride prevents the collapse of deep holes by acting as a wall stabilizer surrounding the drill bit.

• “Hard water” contains calcium and magnesium. These chemicals cling to the metal in pipes, clumping in bundles referred to as ‘scale.’ Sodium chloride attracts these hard chemicals and safely removes them from the water system.

• Salt acts as a catalyst in textile dyeing, providing more thorough dye coverage and adhesion to cellulose materials.

• Water has a high affinity for salt, and since sodium chloride draws excess moisture from animal hides during the tanning process, it’s popular in industrial tanning.

Bell Chem is a Jacksonville chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff handle all your needs by calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or send us an online message.