Sodium formate

Sodium formate (CAS 141-53-7), also sold as E237, is the sodium salt of formic acid produced at industrial scale.

Where is Sodium formate used?

• Oil and gas drilling: high-density completion and workover fluids that protect reservoir formations without solids
• Leather and textile: buffering agent in chrome tanning baths and dyeing processes to control pH and improve fixation uniformity
• Food: preservative as E237
• Pharmaceutical and chemical synthesis: reducing agent and catalyst precursor, particularly in transfer hydrogenation reactions
• It functions primarily as a pH buffer, reducing agent, and preservative depending on the application.
• Deicing agent for surfaces and industrial plants.
• Improves the performance of formic acid limestone flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems in industrial plants.
• In food biotechnology, used in cheesemaking, particularly for cultivating starter cultures, acting mainly as a buffer to maintain stable pH for culture growth and metabolic activity.
• As a mild reducing agent, it helps in the deposition of metal ions, especially in non-cyanide silver and gold baths.

Formulation notes

• Chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 211 mg O2/g, advantageous compared to deicers sodium acetate (740 mg O2/g) and urea (>2,000 mg O2/g).
• Decomposes on contact with acids, producing formic acid vapours.

Typical specification

• Water solubility of 97 g/100 ml at 20°C.

Regulatory status

• Registered under the REACH Regulation and manufactured and/or imported in the European Economic Area at 100,000 to 1,000,000 tonnes per year.
• In agriculture, officially approved by the EU for organic farming in June 2012.

Storage, packaging and handling

• Available in drums, totes, and bulk.

Frequently asked questions about Sodium formate

How can the de-icing effect of solid sodium formate be increased?

The de-icing effect of solid sodium formate can be increased by moistening with aqueous potassium formate or potassium acetate solutions.

Technical content is compiled and updated by the SoleChem product team from public technical sources; the certificate of analysis (COA) governs product-specific specifications.