Caustic Soda (NaOH) – Flakes, Pearls and Lye Supply

Chemical Name: Sodium Hydroxide
Chemical Formula: NaOH
CAS Number: 1310-73-2
HS Code: 2815.11 (solid: flakes, pearls) / 2815.12 (aqueous solution: lye)
UN Number: 1823 (solid) / 1824 (solution); Corrosive, Class 8; Packing Group II
Also Known As: Caustic Soda, Sodium Hydrate, Lye, Caustic Soda Flakes, Caustic Soda Pearls (Prills)
Traded Standard: Flakes / pearls 98.5 – 99% min NaOH; lye 32% or 48 – 50%; membrane or diaphragm grade; IS 252 for Indian domestic users, or the buyer’s specification

Caustic soda is one of the most widely used industrial chemicals. It is made with chlorine in chlor-alkali plants and is used in alumina refining, pulp and paper, soaps and detergents, textiles, water treatment and a long list of chemical processes. Solid flakes and pearls travel well in bags and containers, while lye moves in bulk tankers and ISO tanks. India has a large chlor-alkali industry and both imports and exports caustic soda as regional prices move.

Ametheus supplies caustic soda flakes, pearls and lye on FOB, CFR/CIF and delivered terms to alumina refineries, paper mills, detergent and soap makers, textile processors, water-treatment and chemical plants, and trade partners. We ship containers and bulk parcels from established producing regions. We work on a contract basis and do not sell retail.

Technical Specifications

Typical limits for membrane-grade flakes / pearls and 48 – 50% lye. Final specification and Certificate of Analysis are confirmed on each contract.

Parameter Unit Flakes / Pearls (Typical) Lye 48 – 50% (Typical) Test Method
Appearance — White flakes or pearls Clear to slightly turbid liquid Visual
Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) % wt 98.5 min (99.0 typical) 48.0 – 50.5 ISO 979 / ASTM E291
Sodium Carbonate (Na₂CO₃) % wt 0.50 max 0.10 max ISO 979 / ASTM E291
Sodium Chloride (NaCl) % wt 0.05 max 0.03 max ISO 981 / ASTM E291
Iron (as Fe) mg/kg 10 max 5 max ISO 983 / ICP
Sodium Chlorate (NaClO₃) mg/kg 20 max 10 max ASTM E291
Sodium Sulphate (Na₂SO₄) mg/kg 100 max 50 max ASTM E291
Silica (as SiO₂) mg/kg 50 max 20 max ICP
Heavy Metals (as Pb) mg/kg 5 max 3 max ICP
Mercury (Hg) mg/kg 0.1 max (membrane grade) 0.1 max (membrane grade) ICP / AAS

Buying note: Membrane-grade caustic is low in chloride, chlorate and mercury, and is preferred for rayon, food-related, pharmaceutical and alumina uses. Diaphragm grade carries more salt and costs less, and is fine for many industrial uses. Lye is cheaper to make but you pay to ship the water, so flakes and pearls usually win on long routes and for inland users. Tell us your process and we will match the grade and form to it.

Key Applications

Process Industries (dominant use)

  • Alumina refining (Bayer process)
  • Pulp and paper: kraft pulping and bleaching
  • Textiles: mercerising, scouring and viscose / rayon production

Soaps, Detergents & Chemicals

  • Soap making (saponification) and neutralisation of LABSA in detergents
  • Chemical intermediates, dyes, pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals
  • Biodiesel catalyst and edible-oil refining (approved grades)

Water & Industrial

  • pH control in water and wastewater treatment
  • Petroleum refining (caustic washing) and gas scrubbing
  • Metal cleaning, bottle washing and CIP cleaning

Packaging & Logistics

  • Flakes / pearls: 25 kg PP woven bags with PE liner, or 1 MT jumbo bags, palletised or loose in full containers (net weight per container confirmed on each contract)
  • Lye: bulk chemical tanker parcels into coastal terminals
  • Lye: stainless or rubber-lined ISO tank containers (about 20 – 25 MT net) and 1,000 L IBCs
  • Road tankers for domestic deliveries, where available

Load-port inspection is done by an independent surveyor (SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas or similar), covering quantity, packing condition and sampling against the COA. For lye, tank cleanliness and prior cargoes are checked before loading.

Storage & Handling

Caustic soda is strongly corrosive and causes severe burns to skin and eyes.

  • Store bags in a dry, covered warehouse, off the floor. Caustic soda absorbs moisture and carbon dioxide from the air, so keep bags sealed.
  • Store lye in carbon-steel tanks at moderate temperatures, or in stainless or nickel-alloy tanks for hot service. 50% lye starts to crystallise at about 12°C, so heat and insulate tanks and lines in cold weather.
  • Dissolving solid caustic in water releases a lot of heat. Always add caustic to water slowly, never water to caustic.
  • Keep away from acids, aluminium, zinc and tin. Caustic attacks these metals and can release hydrogen.
  • Use appropriate PPE: alkali-resistant gloves, face shield or goggles, and protective clothing. Keep eye-wash stations and safety showers nearby.
  • Shipped as UN 1823 (solid) or UN 1824 (solution), Class 8, PG II under IMDG. Full SDS is available on request.

Commercial Terms

  • Incoterms 2020: FOB load port, CFR / CIF discharge port (e.g. Kandla, Mundra, Nhava Sheva, Visakhapatnam, Chennai), or delivered, as agreed
  • Pricing: Fixed price per MT (solid) or per dry metric tonne (lye), or referenced to recognised benchmarks (e.g. ICIS / Argus caustic soda assessments), as agreed
  • Payment: LC or CAD against documents on first contracts
  • Quality: Load-port and/or discharge inspection as agreed. COA, SDS and Certificate of Origin are provided.
  • Import compliance: Indian imports of caustic soda may require BIS certification under IS 252. The buyer confirms the current position before booking, and we match the producer and documents to it.
  • Lots: From one full container (flakes / pearls) or ISO tank (lye) up to bulk parcels

Why Ametheus

Inquiry

For current availability, grade, quantity and delivery window, contact the commodities desk with:

  • Product, form & grade (flakes, pearls or lye; membrane or diaphragm; IS 252 or your specification)
  • Quantity (per lift and annual volume)
  • Discharge port / delivery location
  • Delivery window
  • Preferred Incoterm and packaging (25 kg bags, jumbo bags, ISO tank, IBC, bulk)

Commodities desk
Ametheus Holdings Pvt Ltd
[email protected] | [email protected]
New buyers: please complete the Preliminary KYC form or contact us.

We respond on live enquiries. Bulk quantities only; we do not sell samples or retail lots.

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