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The predominant route to this salt is the extraction of tungsten ores, almost all of which are tungstates. Thus, the ores are treated with a base to give sodium tungstate, as illustrated in the case of wolframite:
Fe/MnWO4 + 2 NaOH + 2 H2O → Na2WO4•2H2O + Fe/Mn(OH)2
Scheelite is treated similarly using sodium carbonate.
Sodium tungstate can also be produced by treating tungsten carbide with a mixture of sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide in a fusion process which overcomes the high exothermicity of the reaction involved.
Several polymorphs of sodium tungstate are known, three at only one atmosphere pressure. They feature tetrahedral orthotungstate dianions but differ in the packing motif. The WO42− anion adopts a structure like sulfate (SO42− ).
Sodium Tungstate has applications as a catalyst, analytical reagent, fire proofing agent. It features a high degree of chemical purity and outstanding water solubility with no residue. It can be used in the manufacture of metal tungsten, tungsten acid, tungsten salts, and dyes, galvanic coatings, and the manufacture of X-ray contrast agents.
Sodium tungstate is Colorless or white crystalline powder and widely used as catalyst in paint industries, dyes industries, pigments and pharmaceuticals and many more chemical reactions like epoxidation of alkenes and oxidation of alcohols into aldehydes or ketones, it also used in Manufacture of heteropolyacid color lakes used in printing inks, plants, waxes, glasses, and textiles, Analytical reagent, Reagent for alkaloids, uric acid and plasma proteins, Fuel-cell electrode material, and Fire proofing agent, Manufacture of metal tungsten, tungstic acid and tungsten salts.
Sodium tungstate is an effective Antidiabetic agent when administered orally. It improves pancreatic function and beta cell proliferation. It activates glycogen synthesis through an insulin receptor-independent pathway.
There are dual effects of sodium tungstate on adipocyte biology: inhibition of Adipogenesis and stimulation of cellular oxygen consumption. Sodium tungstate inhibits adipocyte differentiation and regulates the mitochondrial oxygen consumption of adipose cells. These effects contribute to the anti-obesity activity of sodium tungstate and confirm its potential as a powerful alternative for the treatment of obesity.
Sodium tungstate is used for slurry sampling electro thermal atomic absorption spectrometric determination of indium in soils.
Typical applications include catalysis, pigment production, galvanic coatings, and the manufacture of X-ray contrast agents.