Physical Properties:

It is a white-coloured deliquescent powder at room temperature and normal pressure. It is odourless at NTP but gives off a vinegar-like odour when heated till decomposition. Its anhydrous crystals have a melting point of 597 K, while the trihydrate crystals have a melting point of 331 K. It is highly soluble in water, with the solubility of anhydrous rising from 119 g per 100 mL of water at 273 K to 162.9 g per 100 mL of water at 373 K.

Application:

Concrete

Hygroscopic sodium acetate seeps into the crevices on the surface of concrete sealing it against the elements.

Food and Beverage

Sodium acetate has long been the seasoning that gives potato chips that pungent salt and vinegar flavor. Because it is an acid, the addition of sodium acetate during food production can lower or stabilize a product’s pH. Another positive trait of its acidity is the negative reaction of bacterial growth in the presence of sodium acetate. It is, therefore, a great preservative. The beneficial preservation properties of sodium acetate are also dominant in pickling foods. Similar to general food use, pickling uses sodium acetate to enhance flavors and preserve foods, but in much larger quantities.

Cleaning

Impurities such as stains, rust or scale on metal surface quickly vanish when cleaning with sodium acetate.

Laboratory

Sodium acetate is commonly used as a reagent in molecular biology as well as biochemistry.