[Yoritomo]

Hello!

   I was told that, when a basic solution evaporates, actually the water evaporates and the base remains as a powder. Is that true? Do vapors of a basic solution keep the properties of a base (reactivity with acids, corrosiveness etc.)



       Thank you in advance for your answers.

             -Kostas.

[Yggdrasil]

It depends on what exact base you are using.  Some bases are nonvolatile salts such as NaOH (lye) or KOH.  These will behave as you have said, evaporation of the solution leaves solid crystals of the base.  However, the water vapor will not be basic.

Other bases, such as ammonia, however, are volatile.  Evaporation of these bases will produce a basic vapor (although sometimes you may be able to separate the gaseous base from the water vapor), but it will leave little or no residue once it is boiled off.

[Yoritomo]

Yggdarsil, thank you for your reply!

        I'm usuing a product which consist of NaOH  and Nitric Natrium ( I don't know what this is, it's the way it is described on the label) Probably they mean Sodium Nitrate. You already mentioned the first one, so, is the second one volatile?

[Yggdrasil]

Both are nonvolatile salts (if nitric natrium is sodium nitrate).  In addition, sodium nitrate is a neutral salt.