Will NaOH dissolve aluminum without damaging fiberglass?

[lightarrow]

Compounds like aluminates are notoriously difficult to describe, as their composition - in terms of number of water molecules and OH^- attached to the cation - is a matter of multistep equilibrium. Hence you will find different formulas in different sources.

Yes, this is true, but that one I've never seen it before.

 

[morrobay]

Are you sure Na₃AlO₃ really exists? Anyway, I don't see any problem in the previous reaction you wrote:

2Al + 2NaOH + 2H₂O ---> 2NaAlO₂ + 3H₂

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Hello, no I am not sure it exists ,but i don't have a problem with 3Na and AlO3
in solution.
The problem with the previous reaction i was having is that it implies that the hydrogens
in the two waters are reduced/released in the product as hydrogen gas.
And I could not see any mechanism for that in the reaction with NaOH and Al.
If you can describe that mechanism I would appreciate it
(please place the pos & negs over the ions)

 

[lightarrow]

+ ---
Hello, no I am not sure it exists ,but i don't have a problem with 3Na and AlO3
in solution.
The problem with the previous reaction i was having is that it implies that the hydrogens
in the two waters are reduced/released in the product as hydrogen gas.
And I could not see any mechanism for that in the reaction with NaOH and Al.
If you can describe that mechanism I would appreciate it
(please place the pos & negs over the ions)

Al reacts with water when the oxide layer is removed:

2Al + 3H₂O --> Al₂O₃ + 3H₂

NaOH dissolves the oxide layer.