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Aqueous sodium hydroxide is known to react with aluminum foil in an exothermic, hydrogen-gas releasing reaction like $$\ce{2NaOH(aq) + 2Al(s) + 2H2O(\ell) → 2NaAlO2(aq) + 3H2(g)}$$

However, on youtube, it looks like someone was able to substitute NaOH with Na2CO3 and get a vigorous similar-looking reaction as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggPWdwcsyqM

Which makes me wonder — did they also form $\ce{NaAl(CO3)2}$ as well? E.g., via $$\ce{2 Na2CO3(aq) + 4Al(s) + 6H2O(\ell) -> NaAl(CO3)2(aq) + 3NaAlO2(aq) + 6H2(g)}$$

Or was sodium carbonate merely used as a source of NaOH, from $$\ce{Na2CO3(aq) + H2O(\ell) \rightleftharpoons NaHCO3(aq) + NaOH(aq) }$$

Aqueous sodium hydroxide is known to react with aluminum foil in an exothermic, hydrogen-gas releasing reaction like $$\ce{2NaOH(aq) + 2Al(s) + 2H2O(\ell) → 2NaAlO2(aq) + 3H2(g)}$$

However, on youtube, it looks like someone was able to substitute NaOH with Na2CO3 and get a vigorous similar-looking reaction as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggPWdwcsyqM

Which makes me wonder — did they also form $\ce{NaAl(CO3)2}$ as well? E.g., via $$\ce{2 Na2CO3(aq) + 4Al(s) + 6H2O(\ell) -> NaAl(CO3)2(aq) + 3NaAlO2(aq) + 6H2(g)}$$

Or was sodium carbonate merely used as a source of NaOH, from $$\ce{Na2CO3(aq) + H2O(\ell) \rightleftharpoons NaHCO3(aq) + NaOH(aq) }$$

Aqueous sodium hydroxide is known to react with aluminum foil in an exothermic hydrogen-gas releasing reaction like $$\ce{2NaOH(aq) + 2Al(s) + 2H2O(\ell) → 2NaAlO2(aq) + 3H2(g)}$$

However, on youtube, it looks like someone was able to substitute NaOH with Na2CO3 and get a vigorous similar-looking reaction as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggPWdwcsyqM

Which makes me wonder — did they also form $\ce{NaAl(CO3)2}$ as well? E.g., via $$\ce{2 Na2CO3(aq) + 4Al(s) + 6H2O(\ell) -> NaAl(CO3)2(aq) + 3NaAlO2(aq) + 6H2(g)}$$

Or was sodium carbonate merely used as a source of NaOH, from $$\ce{Na2CO3(aq) + H2O(\ell) \rightleftharpoons NaHCO3(aq) + NaOH(aq) }$$

Aqueous sodium hydroxide is known to react with aluminum foil in an exothermic, hydrogen-gas releasing reaction like $$\ce{2NaOH(aq) + 2Al(s) + 2H2O(\ell) → 2NaAlO2(aq) + 3H2(g)}$$

However, on youtube, it looks like someone was able to substitute NaOH with Na2CO3 and get a vigorous similar-looking reaction as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggPWdwcsyqM

Which makes me wonder — did they also form $\ce{NaAl(CO3)2}$ as well? E.g., via $$\ce{2 Na2CO3(aq) + 4Al(s) + 6H2O(\ell) -> NaAl(CO3)2(aq) + 3NaAlO2(aq) + 6H2(g)}$$

Or was sodium carbonate merely used as a source of NaOH, from $$\ce{Na2CO3(aq) + H2O(\ell) \rightleftharpoons NaHCO3(aq) + NaOH(aq) }$$

Aqueous sodium hydroxide is known to react with aluminum foil in an exothermic hydrogen-gas releasing reaction like $$\ce{2NaOH(aq) + 2Al(s) + 2H2O(\ell) → 2NaAlO2(aq) + 3H2(g)}$$

However, on youtube, it looks like someone was able to substitute NaOH with Na2CO3 and get a vigorous similar-looking reaction as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggPWdwcsyqM

Which makes me wonder — did they also form $\ce{NaAl(CO3)2}$ as well? E.g., via $$\ce{2 Na2CO3(aq) + 4Al(s) + 6H2O(\ell) -> NaAl(CO3)2(aq) + 6H2(g) + 3NaAlO2(aq)}$$

Or was sodium carbonate merely used as a source of NaOH, from $$\ce{Na2CO3(aq) + H2O(\ell) \rightleftharpoons NaHCO3(aq) + NaOH(aq) }$$

Aqueous sodium hydroxide is known to react with aluminum foil in an exothermic hydrogen-gas releasing reaction like $$\ce{2NaOH(aq) + 2Al(s) + 2H2O(\ell) → 2NaAlO2(aq) + 3H2(g)}$$

However, on youtube, it looks like someone was able to substitute NaOH with Na2CO3 and get a vigorous similar-looking reaction as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggPWdwcsyqM

Which makes me wonder — did they also form $\ce{NaAl(CO3)2}$ as well? E.g., via $$\ce{2 Na2CO3(aq) + 4Al(s) + 6H2O(\ell) -> NaAl(CO3)2(aq) + 3NaAlO2(aq) + 6H2(g)}$$

Or was sodium carbonate merely used as a source of NaOH, from $$\ce{Na2CO3(aq) + H2O(\ell) \rightleftharpoons NaHCO3(aq) + NaOH(aq) }$$