Sodium metal is manufactured by electrolysis of fused mixture of NaCl (40%) and CaCl₂ (60%) in Down’s cell at 873K using iron cathode and graphite cathode. Na is liberated at the cathode and Cl₂ is evolved at anode.

At cathode:

At anode: 2Cl^- (melt) → Cl₂ (g) + 2e^-

Note: Down’s cell is an apparatus in which molten NaCl is electrolysed. In the Down’s cell, Carbon(graphite) acts as anode and iron (Fe) acts as cathode. The working of Down’s cell is given below: