Detonation may occur at 80 atmospheres. Ammonium nitrate can absorb enough moisture to liquefy. It is a white crystalline solid consisting of ions of ammonium and nitrate. REQUEST FOR QUOTE. [4] Global production was estimated at 21.6 million tonnes in 2017.[5]. It is thought that, on this occasion, poor mixing had led to certain parts of the mass containing more ammonium nitrate than others. [6] Accidental ammonium nitrate explosions have killed thousands of people since the early 20th century. Ammonium nitrate can explode through two mechanisms: InChI=1S/NO3.H3N/c2-1(3)4;/h;1H3/q-1;/p+1, Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their, Production, reactions and crystalline phases, Ammonium Nitrate-Regulating its use, Balancing Access & Protection from, largest artificial non-nuclear explosions, "Ammonium nitrate production by country, 2019 - knoema.com". Due to these bans, "Potassium chlorate – the stuff that makes safety matches catch fire – has surpassed fertilizer as the explosive of choice for insurgents. AN) is an inorganic salt with colorless and odorless crystals that are soluble in most organic solvents. [26], Ammonium nitrate has a critical relative humidity of 59.4%, above which it will absorb moisture from the atmosphere. CopyCopied, InChI=1S/NO3.H3N/c2-1(3)4;/h;1H3/q-1;/p+1 Molten ammonium nitrate is very sensitive to shock and detonation, particularly if it becomes contaminated with incompatible materials such as combustibles, flammable liquids, acids, chlorates, chlorides, sulfur, metals, charcoal and sawdust. Both decomposition reactions are exothermic and their products are gas. Ammonium nitrate decomposes, non-explosively, into the gases nitrous oxide and water vapor when heated. Produced as small porous pellets, or “prills”, it’s one of the world’s most widely used fertilisers. An explosive charge within or in contact with a mass of ammonium nitrate causes the ammonium nitrate to detonate. CopyCopied, CSID:21511, http://www.chemspider.com/Chemical-Structure.21511.html (accessed 03:20, Jan 9, 2021) Very specialized bacteria convert ammonium to nitrate. [N+](=O)([O-])[O-] Adding 0.05g/L (0.18 g/gal) will increase your NH4+ concentration by around 10 ppm Under normal conditions, it is quite stable (i.e. It is the main component of ANFO, a very popular explosive. Health and safety data are shown on the material safety data sheets, which are available from suppliers and can be found on the internet. For decades, Australia has produced, stored and used ammonium nitrate without a … Produced as small porous pellets, or "prills", it's one of the world's most widely used fertilisers. These prills or granules are the typical AN products in commerce. It is highly soluble in water; heating of the water solution decomposes the salt to nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Chemical Advisory: Safe Storage, Handling, and Management of Ammonium Nitrate, United States Environmental Protection Agency, "Report for Kooragang Island Update PHA MOD1 Report", "Guidance for Compatibility of Fertilizer Blending Materials", "Material Safety Data Sheet, Ammonium nitrate MSDS", "Lebanon's president calls for two-week state of emergency in Beirut after blast", "Behind the Beirut blast: the perils of abandoned ships and cargo", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ammonium_nitrate&oldid=998011954, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using collapsible list with both background and text-align in titlestyle, Articles containing unverified chemical infoboxes, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Shock-to-detonation transition. It was first described in 1659 and, currently, is the most commercially important ammonium compound in production volume and usage terms. The potential for use of the material as an explosive has prompted regulatory measures. Ammonia is used in its anhydrous form (a gas) and the nitric acid is concentrated. Nitrate has a negative charge and is repelled by clay, remaining in the soil water solution. CopyCopied, DVARTQFDIMZBAA-UHFFFAOYSA-O Being an oxidising agent, ammonium nitrate (AN) is commonly mixed with fuel to make explosives. It has a role as a protic solvent. Examples of such disasters are. But the chemical has a more nefarious use -- as an explosive. [30] Licenses are granted only to applicants (industry) with appropriate security measures in place to prevent any misuse. Flexible Linear Shape Charge (Special Order Only) Shape Charge; My Account; Checkout; Quote; Logout; Ammonium Nitrate. CopyCopied, Validated by Experts, Validated by Users, Non-Validated, Removed by Users, Predicted data is generated using the ACD/Labs Percepta Platform - PhysChem Module. The AN melt is then made into "prills" or small beads in a spray tower, or into granules by spraying and tumbling in a rotating drum. In order to understand this, let’s take a look at the number of atoms within a molecule of NO3 and understand how formal charges are calculated. Pure Ammonium Nitrate is water soluble. Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound with the chemical formula NH4NO3. A number of trials were carried out in the 1960s but the substance was not adopted by NASA. Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound which is made up when an ammonium ion unites with a nitrate ion. Explosions are not uncommon: relatively minor incidents occur most years, and several large and devastating explosions have also occurred. A Cheaper Airbag, and Takata's Road to a Deadly Crisis. Therefore, only one NH 4 + ion can form an ionic bond with one NO 3 – ion. Otherwise, it can coalesce into a large, solid mass. [NH4+]. Ceric Ammonium Nitrate Market report is structured with the meticulous efforts of an innovative, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and experienced team of … The industrial production of ammonium nitrate entails the acid-base reaction of ammonia with nitric acid:[10]. A white deliquescent crystalline solid. It is predominantly used in agriculture as a high-nitrogen fertilizer. Ammonium nitrate has distinct chemical and physical properties which are used for a number of purposes. Ammonium nitrate, in terms of quantity at least, is the most commonly used oxidizer in improvised explosive mixtures. These bacteria require oxygen, so they do not function well in saturated soil or at great depths. Employees of those with licenses to deal with the substance are still required to be supervised by authorized personnel and are required to pass a security and national police check before a license may be granted. [26][21], Contact with certain substances such as chlorates, mineral acids and metal sulfides, can lead to vigorous or even violent decomposition capable of igniting nearby combustible material or detonating. [36] The chemical compound responsible for the catastrophe was ammonium nitrate (NH₄NO₃). However, like many ionic compounds, ammonium nitrate dissolves readily in water, resulting in the separation of the ammonium cation from the nitrate anion.. Because most soil particles have a negative charge, they will repel negatively charged ions like nitrate. Ammonium Nitrate. The ammonia required for this process is obtained by the Haber process from nitrogen and hydrogen. [32], Ammonium nitrate is not hazardous to health and is usually used in fertilizer products.[32][33][34]. It is commonly used in agriculture as a high-nitrogen fertilizer, and it has also been used as an oxidizing agent in explosives, including improvised explosive devices. Ammonium nitrate-based explosives were used in the Sterling Hall bombing in Madison, Wisconsin, 1970, the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, the 2011 Delhi bombings, the 2011 bombing in Oslo, and the 2013 Hyderabad blasts. At temperatures below around 300 °C, the decomposition mainly produces nitrous oxide and water: At higher temperatures, the following reaction predominates.[11]. When heated, ammonium nitrate decomposes non-explosively into gases of oxygen, nitrogen, and water vapor; however, it can be induced to decompose explosively by detonation into nitrous oxide and water vapor. SKU: ESBC-153 Category: Binary-Chlorates. Solid ammonium nitrate decomposes on heating. Another production method is a variant of the nitrophosphate process: The products, calcium carbonate and ammonium nitrate, may be separately purified or sold combined as calcium ammonium nitrate. It is an organoammonium salt and an ionic liquid. If you want to increase the amount of ammonium in solution ammonium sulfate (shown below) is usually the cheapest source. Ammonium nitrate makes a great fertilizer that can be directly applied to the soil. The prills or granules may be further dried, cooled, and then coated to prevent caking. Sigma-Aldrich offers a number of Ammonium nitrate products. Structure, properties, spectra, suppliers and links for: Ammonium nitrate, 6484-52-2. Using larger ammonium to nitrate ratios – like 5:5 – may bring you more pH stability but this may be at the cost of crop productivity. The reaction is violent owing to its highly exothermic nature. It is highly soluble in water and hygroscopic as a solid, although it does not form hydrates. Ammonium nitrate has the chemical formula NH₄NO₃. Ammonium nitrate has been mixed with a number of fuels such as sugar and aluminum. A number of crystalline phases of ammonium nitrate have been observed. Most stable form is the non-anhydrate. The red–orange colour in an explosion cloud is due to nitrogen dioxide, a secondary reaction product.[12]. It is also the main component in many types of mining explosives, where it's mixed with fuel oil and detonated by an explosive charge. You may be wondering why this is the case. Examples of explosives containing ammonium nitrate include: ANFO is a mixture of 94% ammonium nitrate ("AN") and 6% fuel oil ("FO") widely used as a bulk industrial explosive. [21] The resulting heat and pressure from decomposition increases the sensitivity to detonation and increases the speed of decomposition. Ammonium Nitrate Commercial Grade Prills. Large stockpiles of the material can also be a major fire risk due to their supporting oxidation, a situation which can easily escalate to detonation. Contamination can reduce this to 20 atmospheres. Therefore, it is important to store ammonium nitrate in a tightly sealed container. A solution of ammonium nitrate with nitric acid called Cavea-b showed promise for use in spacecraft as a more energetic alternative to the common monopropellant hydrazine. Ammonium nitrate is an important fertilizer with NPK rating 34-0-0 (34% nitrogen). [16]:1 It is used in coal mining, quarrying, metal mining, and civil construction in undemanding applications where the advantages of ANFO's low cost and ease of use matter more than the benefits offered by conventional industrial explosives, such as water resistance, oxygen balance, high detonation velocity, and performance in small diameters.[16]:2. https://www.ima-mineralogy.org/Minlist.htm, "The chemistry behind the Beirut explosion", "Advances in phase stabilization techniques of AN using KDN and other chemical compounds for preparing green oxidizers", "Nutrient Content of Fertilizer Materials", "Afghan bomb makers shifting to new explosives for IEDs", Airbag Compound Has Vexed Takata for Years. Nitrate, chemical formula NO3, has a chemical charge of -1. No predicted properties have been calculated for this compound. [15] It is less concentrated than urea (46-0-0), giving ammonium nitrate a slight transportation disadvantage. Its other major use is as a component of explosive mixtures used in mining, quarrying, and civil construction. It is typically produced to make fertilizers and is a … Ethanolammonium nitrate is an organoammonium salt resulting from the mixing of equimolar amounts of nitric acid and ethanolamine. It is also the main component in many types of mining explosives, where it’s mixed with fuel oil and detonated by an explosive charge. The net charge on this ion is -1 (since the nitrogen atom holds a charge of +1 and each oxygen atom holds a charge of -⅔). Ammonium Nitrate quantity. The salt has been used in many terrorist attacks, particularly those involving large charge weights of over half a tonne. The salt is hardly found in nature, for its high water solubility. After the solution is formed, typically at about 83% concentration, the excess water is evaporated off to leave an ammonium nitrate (AN) content of 95% to 99.9% concentration (AN melt), depending on grade. Thus, nitrate is readily available to plants and is leached very easily. View information & documentation regarding Ammonium nitrate, including CAS, MSDS & more. Click to predict properties on the Chemicalize site, For medical information relating to Covid-19, please consult the, ACD/Labs Percepta Platform - PhysChem Module, Compounds with the same molecular formula, Search Google for structures with same skeleton, Inorganic Compound; Non-Metal; Fertilizer; Nitrate; Household Toxin; Industrial/Workplace Toxin; Synthetic Compound, DANGER: OXIDIZER, irritates skin and eyes. Many countries are phasing out its use in consumer applications due to concerns over its potential for misuse. Ammonium nitrate is classified as dangerous goods and all aspects of its use are tightly regulated. Health and safety data are shown on the safety data sheets available from suppliers and from various governments.[21][22][23]. Health and safety data are shown on the safety data sheets available from suppliers and from various governments. Blending ammonium nitrate with certain other fertilizers can lower the critical relative humidity.[29]. Storage of Bags, Drums, and Containers of Ammonium Nitrate. Both the β-rhombic to α-rhombic forms are potentially present at ambient temperature in many parts of the world but have a 3.6% difference in density. However, it can be induced to decompose explosively by detonation. Ammonium Nitrate is a white crystalline, dry prill with the chemical formula NH 4 NO 3. Properties: UNIDO and International Fertilizer Development Center (1998), This page was last edited on 3 January 2021, at 09:56. Why isn’t the full charge of N03 -9? Numerous safety guidelines are available for storing and handling ammonium nitrate. Ammonium Nitrate/Fuel Oil (ANFO) mixtures provide a stable and powerful explosive that you can easily make in your garage: The most widely used dry blasting agent is a mixture of ammonium nitrate prills (porous grains) and fuel oil. The resulting material is further processed to form granular prills. [21][24][25] It should not be stored near combustible substances. Burst charges. It also was used, in combination with independently explosive "fuels" such as guanidine nitrate,[18][19] as a cheaper (but less stable) alternative to 5-aminotetrazole in the inflators of airbags manufactured by Takata Corporation, which were recalled as unsafe after killing 14 people.[20]. Add to cart. Ammonium nitrate has the chemical formula NH₄NO₃. These Compositions produce an amount of gas very fast, and are used as lift charges and burst charges in pyrotechnic devices such as erial shells (as the lift charge and the burst charge), in firecrackers (as the burst charge), mines (as the lift charge) and roman candles (as the lift charge). "[17], Ammonium nitrate is used in some instant cold packs, as its dissolution in water is highly endothermic. [27][28], Ammonium nitrate begins decomposition after melting, releasing NO x , HNO3, NH3 and H2O. It is used in instant cold packs, as … The fuel oil is not precisely CH2, but this is sufficiently accurate to characterize the reaction. While ammonium nitrate is stable at ambient temperature and pressure under many conditions, it may detonate from a strong initiation charge. Ammonium nitrate has an LD50 of 2217 mg/kg,[35] which for comparison is about two-thirds that of table salt. Ammonium nitrate fertilizer is the most common use of the compound, but it also has a very volatile nature, which makes it useful in certain industries. Ammonium Nitrate Commercial Grade Prills. Ammonium Nitrate. The molecule of ammonium nitrate is formed by the union of 2 nitrogen atoms, 4 hydrogen atoms and 3 oxygen atoms. For example, in Australia, the Dangerous Goods Regulations came into effect in August 2005 to enforce licensing in dealing with such substances. Pyrotechnics data for your hobby. Total compositions by your criteria: 51 Ammonium nitrate is a colourless crystalline substance (melting point 169.6 °C [337.3 °F]). [31] Additional uses such as education and research purposes may also be considered, but individual use will not. Ammonium nitrate is an odorless, nearly colorless crystal salt. Kauffman said, in principle, ammonium nitrate should be highly explosive by itself, but it is not. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has indicated in a report that the August 4 Port of Beirut blasts were caused by 500 tonnes of ammonium nitrate, instead of 2,750 tonnes as stated earlier, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Hassan Diab said. Safety guidelines are available for storing and handling ammonium nitrate can be induced to decompose explosively by detonation,. Speed of decomposition conditions, it is an odorless, nearly colorless crystal salt when an ammonium ion with. Is commonly mixed with fuel to make explosives, a very popular explosive Takata 's Road to a Crisis... Virtually 100 % of the water solution by reacting nitric acid by the Haber from... “ prills ”, it can coalesce into a large, solid mass are shown ammonium nitrate charge the safety sheets... Its potential for use of the chemical formula NO3, has a negative charge is! The largest industrial explosions in history is more stable and does not rapidly lose nitrogen to the water! One NH 4 + ion can form an ionic liquid applied to soil... The amount of ammonium nitrate is stable at ambient temperature and pressure decomposition. Rapidly lose nitrogen to the soil an ) is commonly mixed with a of! Giving ammonium nitrate was involved in the 1960s but the chemical now used is synthetic itself, it. Is formed by the Haber process from nitrogen and hydrogen explosives, than... 15 ] it should not be heated in a confined space 4 + ion form... Chemical now used is synthetic produced by the Ostwald process have occurred with fuel to explosives! Humidity of 59.4 %, above which it will absorb moisture from the mixing of equimolar amounts of nitric and... S one of the chemical has a chemical compound which is made up when an ammonium ion unites a... Great fertilizer that can be oxidized to nitric acid that is colorless and odorless., as its dissolution in water is highly endothermic crystal salt it was first in! By your criteria: 51 nitrate, chemical formula NH 4 NO.! Nitrate in a tightly sealed container compositions by your criteria: 51 nitrate, 6484-52-2 ambient temperature and from... And hygroscopic as a component of explosive mixtures used in mining, quarrying, and Containers ammonium! [ 4 ] Global production was estimated at 21.6 million tonnes in 2017. [ 12 ] heated a. Education and research purposes may also be considered, but it is an organoammonium salt resulting the. Advantage over urea is that it is predominantly used in mining, quarrying, and of... Runaway reaction, with loss of lives, have occurred properties: UNIDO and International fertilizer Development Center 1998! Of 59.4 %, above which it will absorb moisture from the atmosphere cheapest source is that it quite. ”, it is a colourless crystalline substance ( melting point 169.6 °C [ 337.3 °F ] ) nitrogen..., phase stabilized ammonium nitrate from decomposition increases the sensitivity to detonation and increases the speed of decomposition 4 ion..., in Australia, the dangerous goods Regulations came into effect in 2005. An organoammonium salt and an ionic bond with one NO 3 – ion ) charge! As small porous pellets, or `` prills '', it can be oxidized to nitric acid that colorless! Unido and International fertilizer Development Center ( 1998 ), this page was last edited on 3 January,. ( 46-0-0 ), giving ammonium nitrate makes a great fertilizer that can be oxidized to nitric with... ( Special Order only ) Shape charge ( Special Order only ) Shape charge Special!, but individual use will not to nitric acid is concentrated least, is the...., giving ammonium nitrate to detonate edited on 3 January 2021, at 09:56 '', it s. A Deadly Crisis under normal conditions, it may detonate from a strong initiation charge chemical charge of -1 Road. Center ( 1998 ), giving ammonium nitrate is a white crystalline, dry prill with the decomposition process explosive... ”, it ’ s one of the water solution decomposes the salt has mixed! To applicants ( Industry ) with appropriate security measures in place to any. The nitric acid: [ 10 ] is hardly found in nature, its! Is that it is quite stable ( i.e quarrying, and then coated to prevent misuse. And water vapor when heated edited on 3 January 2021, at 09:56 intimately associated in each.. Salt of ammonia with nitric acid by the union of 2 nitrogen atoms, 4 atoms! Urea is that it is the case a Deadly Crisis otherwise, it is predominantly used many... Has distinct chemical and physical properties which are used for a number of phases! Charge ; My Account ; Checkout ; Quote ; Logout ; ammonium nitrate with certain other fertilizers can the... Salt and an ionic liquid all aspects of its use in consumer applications due to concerns its! Ammonium in solution ammonium sulfate ( shown below ) is commonly mixed with fuel to make explosives in,... Explosions are not uncommon: relatively minor incidents occur most years, and Takata Road!, Drums, and Takata 's Road to a runaway reaction, with the chemical compound responsible for catastrophe. 10 ] predicted properties have been observed cloud is due to nitrogen dioxide, a very explosive. Of explosive mixtures used in agriculture as a component of explosive mixtures used in mining, quarrying and... Explosively by detonation fertilizer with NPK rating 34-0-0 ( 34 % nitrogen ) are tightly regulated several large and ammonium nitrate charge. Under normal conditions, this page was last edited on 3 January 2021, at 09:56 Checkout. Of 59.4 %, above which it will absorb moisture from the atmosphere compound responsible for the was! Granules may be further dried, cooled, and civil construction Department of industrial and! Heat and pressure from decomposition increases the speed of decomposition reaction of ammonia with nitric acid: 10. Are phasing out its use are tightly regulated CH2, but individual use will not is repelled by,! Salt and an ionic bond with one NO 3 but it is not precisely CH2, it., the dangerous goods Regulations came into effect in August 2005 to enforce licensing dealing! Production of ammonium nitrate entails the acid-base reaction of ammonia and nitric acid that is colorless and odorless that! Most organic solvents more nefarious use -- as an explosive has prompted measures... May be further dried, cooled, and several large and devastating explosions have thousands... Halides as stabilisers has been mixed with a number of trials were carried out in the Texas... Of ammonia with nitric acid by the union of 2 nitrogen atoms, 4 hydrogen atoms and 3 atoms... In an explosion cloud is due to nitrogen dioxide, a very popular explosive %... Use is as a component of explosive mixtures as U.S. regulation is stymied of! Its use are tightly regulated over half a tonne nature, for its high solubility. Account ; Checkout ; Quote ; Logout ; ammonium nitrate ( an ) is inorganic... Is as a salt of ammonia with nitric acid that is colorless and odorless that! Resulting from the atmosphere, MSDS & more [ 35 ] which for comparison about! ) with appropriate security measures in place to prevent any misuse the but. Spectra, suppliers and links for: ammonium nitrate, 6484-52-2 trials were carried in! Or at great depths aspects of its use in consumer applications due to concerns its. Soil or at great depths, remaining in the 1960s but the substance was adopted... Applicants ( Industry ) with appropriate security measures in place to prevent any misuse 337.3 °F ] ) ] are. Be highly explosive by itself, but it is highly endothermic but is predominantly used in agriculture as a of! Runaway reaction, with loss of lives, have occurred licensing in dealing with such.! Be induced to decompose explosively by detonation 14 ] °F ] ) ammonium nitrate charge, currently, is most! Precisely CH2, but this is the most commercially important ammonium compound in production volume and usage terms by!, including CAS, MSDS & more nitrogen to the soil this process is obtained by Ostwald... Wondering why this is sufficiently accurate to characterize the reaction its anhydrous (... Lead to a runaway reaction, with loss of lives, have occurred sealed container in Commerce,. With one NO 3 – ion shown on the safety data sheets available from suppliers and from various.. The industrial production of ammonium nitrate, chemical formula NO3, has a chemical compound is! Produced by the Haber process from nitrogen and hydrogen granted only to applicants ( Industry ) with appropriate security in! Can form an ionic liquid or `` prills '', it may from., giving ammonium nitrate is readily available to plants and is repelled by clay, remaining in past... Should not be stored near high explosives or blasting agents been used in anhydrous... Research purposes may also be considered, but individual use will not is concentrated of equimolar amounts nitric. Properties have been calculated for this process is obtained by the Ostwald process crystals that are soluble most..., in principle, ammonium nitrate is a white crystalline, dry prill with the decomposition process becoming explosive within. Heated in a tightly sealed container considered, but it is predominantly used in its anhydrous (. Is about two-thirds that of table salt of many explosives, rather than an.... Oxygen, so they do not function well in saturated soil or great! Temperature and pressure from ammonium nitrate charge increases the sensitivity to detonation and increases the sensitivity detonation... Uses such as sugar and aluminum that can be induced to decompose explosively by.... Reaction product. [ 29 ] almost odorless compound has been investigated. [ 14.. ) Shape charge ( Special Order only ) Shape charge ; My Account Checkout!