Market Definition and Introduction

Sodium formate is asodium-based salt of formic acid. It is generally available in its physicalform as a white powder. Sodium formate is a key chemical due to its multipleapplications across a diverse range of industries, such as oil & gas,textile, printing, aviation and others. It offers important end uses, such as afood additive in fabric dyeing processes and a de-icing agent in multiple applications.Also, sodium formate has been finding important end use as a buffering agentfor mineral acids so as to increase their acidity levels. It is not toxic,exhibits biodegradability to a considerable extent and is eco-friendly. In thefield of biology, sodium formate is used as a cryogenic protectant in X-raydiffraction experiments conducted on protein crystalline substances.

Sodium formate ismanufactured by the neutralization of formic acid with sodium carbonate.Alternatively, it can be manufactured by the reaction of sodium hydroxide withchloroform. However, the popular commercial method for the manufacture ofsodium formate is through the absorption of carbon monoxide in sodium hydroxideat high pressures. In the chemical industry, sodium formate is used in themanufacture of formic acid and sodium hydro sulphite. Sodium formate also findsapplications in the leather tanning industry and as an enzyme stabilizing agentin detergents.

Considering theseimportant applications of sodium formate, the study of the sodium formatemarket becomes an important read.