The airbags inflation system reacts sodium azide with potassium nitrate to produce nitrogen gas. Hotblast of the nitrogen gas inflate the airbag.
its to add that security
It reacts with oxygen in air to form sodium oxide (Na2O) and some sodium peroxide (Na2O2) and reacts with nitrogen to form some sodium nitride (Na3N).
Sodium is easily oxidised, contact with the air will form a thin layer of Sodium Oxide over its surface, which would be considered an impurity.
4Na + O2 ----> 2Na2O Sodium oxide is formed.
While I don't use metallic sodium often, I believe if you take it into the air it will form a white film over the surface and that agrees with my hazy memory of it. In dry air, you'll get a sodium monoxide film, which is white. In humid air, you may get sodium hydroxide...or a bit of both. Sodium hydroxide is also white. So fair to say, you'll get a white surface. Note that with solid sodium, only the very outer layer is this colour. The inner sides will remain intact as elemental sodium.
Sodium azide
its to add that security
sodium azide, NaN3.This odorless gas is commonly found in air bags for cars.
The mechanism for the airbag contains sodium azide (NaN3). In the event of an accident, the sodium azide rapidly decomposes into sodium metal and nitrogen gas. The latter fills the airbag.
Initially, air bags contain sodium azide (NaN3), which is ignited to produce nitrogen gas and sodium. The nitrogen gas is what inflates the air bag. Another reaction occurs, including sodium and potassium nitrate which produce more nitrogen gas, potassium oxide and sodium oxide. Potassium oxide and sodium oxide are quite harmful, so they are then neutralized with silicon dioxide to produce silica glass (K4SiO4 and Na4SiO4).
Azide is a word that is commonly used in the chemistry world, more specifically, in organic chemistry. It is a proponent used in air bags (which are found in vehicles).
Nitrogen gas which is created by mixing sodium azide with potassium nitrate which produces the nitrogen.
Sodium azide is an explosive. If it is struck hard enough, has a sufficiently high voltage applied across it, or if it is heated to a certain high temperature, then it will explode. The reaction for the explosive decomposition of sodium azide is: 2NaN3 ---> 2Na + 3N2. As you can see, a small amount of sodium azide solid decomposes very fast to give a lot of nitrogen gas. The nitrogen gas is what fills up the car's airbag. A sensor, in the form of an accelerometer, tells one of a car's computers whether the car hit something hard enough to cause the driver to hit his head on the steering wheel or even the windshield (if the driver is not wearing his seatbelt). If the computer determines that the impact was hard enough, then a fuse is lit which leads to a plug of compressed sodium azide powder which then explodes. As you can imagine, the fuse is very short. Because the sodium azide explodes, the airbag is filled almost instantly. For an airbag to potentially save your life or keep you from receiving a serious head injury, it is very important for everyone to wear their seat belts.
500g
Callod sodium acid ( NaN3 )
An impact detector sends an electric signal to an igniter which causes sodium azide (NaN3) to generate nitrogen gas. The air bag is filled by the nitrogen gas.
Inside the undeployed air bag are pellets of sodium azide (NaN3). Upon impact an electric current is pass through the NaN3, causing it to decompose into sodium metal and nitrogen gas. The nitrogen takes up a large amount of space. 2NaN3 --> 2Na + 3N2