Question

How does sodium azide, $Na{{N}_{3}}$ , decompose?

Answer 1

The act or effect of breaking down a single chemical entity into two or more fragments is known as chemical decomposition. Chemical breakdown is often thought of as the polar opposite of chemical synthesis. In simple terms, a decomposition reaction is a chemical reaction that produces two or more products from a single source. The intricacies of a decomposition process aren't usually well defined, but part of it is: breaking bonds requires a lot of energy.

Complete answer:
The inorganic chemical sodium azide has the formula NaN3. The gas-forming component in historical automobile airbag systems is this colourless salt. It's utilised in the manufacture of various azide compounds. It's an ionic compound that's very soluble in water and extremely toxic.
It's an ionic solid, sodium azide. Rhombohedral and hexagonal crystalline forms are known. Layered structures are used by both. Each type of the azide anion is remarkably similar, being centrosymmetric with $NN$ distances of $\text{1}\text{.18 }{{A}^{o}}$. The geometry of the $N{{a}^{+}}$ ion is octahedral. Each azide has six $N{{a}^{+}}$ centres connected to it, with three $Na-N$ connections to each nitrogen centre at the end.
In older airbag formulations, oxidizers and sodium azide were mixed with additional agents including ignitors and accelerants. During a car accident, an electrical controller detonates this mixture:
$2\text{ }Na{{N}_{3}}~\to \text{ }2\text{ }Na\text{ }+\text{ }3\text{ }{{N}_{2}}$
When the salt is heated to around $300\text{ }{}^\circ C,$ the same reaction happens. The sodium that is produced is a possible threat on its own, but it is transformed into vehicle airbags by reacting with other substances like potassium nitrate and silica. In this instance, harmless sodium silicates are produced. In aeroplane escape chutes, sodium azide is also utilised. Nitroguanidine or related less sensitive explosives like guanidine nitrate are used in newer air bags.
As a result, "strong bases or alkaloids are more hazardous than strong acids."

Note:
Metal azides are formed when sodium azide solutions combine with metallic ions, and they can be shock sensitive and explosive. When selecting a non-metallic transport container for sodium azide solutions in the laboratory, keep this in mind. If azide solutions are disposed of directly down the drain into a sanitary sewage system, this might result in potentially hazardous circumstances. Metal in the plumbing system may react, creating extremely sensitive metal azide crystals that can build up over time. The safe and ecologically acceptable disposal of azide solution leftovers necessitates taking the required safeguards.