Nitric acid is a yellowish or light green liquid with an acrid smell. It has the chemical formula HNO and a density of 1.17 g/cm3 at 20 °C and has characteristic acidic properties. It is one of the numerous acids that are derivatives of nitrogen, but it is one of the most stable ones and has many different uses in different industries. Read on to learn more about nitric acid and its uses in different industries, particularly as an intermediary product for other chemical compounds that have specific usage in other applications within various industries.
What is Nitric Acid?
Nitric acid is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula of HNO. Nitric acid is a colorless, slightly yellow or light green liquid that has an acrid smell at room temperature and its density is 1.17 g/cm3 at 20 °C. The name nitric acid comes from the Latin word nitrum which means “soda” or “wet earth.” The historical use of nitric acid was for the production of copperas, or ferrous sulfate, which was used for dyeing and in tanning hides to produce leather. It was also used as a mineralizer in soil treatment to increase the pH value and provide nutrients to plants. In 1772 Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele discovered that nitric acid had the ability to oxidize mercury fulminate crystals into nitrogen dioxide gas and water vapor when it was heated up in a closed vessel with a red-hot iron rod inside. This discovery led to other discoveries such as oxygen and consequently ozone, which plays a role in global warming as well as dangerous substances such as nitroglycerin, TNT, picric acid, ammonium nitrate and many others.
Industrial Applications of Nitric Acid
Nitric acid has a wide variety of industrial applications. It is used, among other things, as an intermediary product in the production of ammonium nitrate and nitromethane. It is also a by-product that is used to make fertilizers like urea, nitrate salts and ammonia. Additionally, it is used for refining sugar, as well for cleaning glassware in laboratories and in the food industry.
Manufacturing of Important Chemicals Using Nitric Acid
Nitric acid is an important intermediate chemical in the production process of numerous chemicals. It is the raw material for nitric oxide, which is used to produce nitrogenous fertilizers, electric arc producing gases, and dye intermediates. Nitric acid is also used as a catalyst for various reactions that generate heat and want for energy input like the production of ammonia from nitrogen and oxygen or the oxidation of nitrous oxide. It’s not just used as a chemical either- it can be used to do things like remove rust from metal or make certain metals stronger such as steel when combined with carbon disulfide. One more use of nitric acid that you might not know about? It can be used as an ingredient in explosives!
Steel Industry and the Use of Nitric Acid
Nitric acid is a liquid that is used in the steel industry. It is an important chemical in this process because it is responsible for removing impurities from steel in order to ensure its quality. The HNO reacts with material in the steel and breaks it down into a form that can be reused. Nitric acid also plays an important role by removing contaminants at high temperatures, which means that the steel does not need to be cooled as much during the process and reduces costs.
Importance of Nitric Drive in Fertilizer Manufacturing
Several countries produce nitric acid, with three of the largest producers being Canada, China, and the United States. Nitric acid is a very important intermediate product when it comes to making nitrogen fertilizers. To create ammonium nitrate fertilizer, for instance, ammonia gas reacts with oxygen in the presence of a catalyst to form nitrous oxide (N2O) and water vapor. The N2O is then oxidized by air in an atmospheric burner to form nitric oxide (NO) and more water vapor. Next, the NO combines with atmospheric nitrogen in a dissociated reactor to form nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which is then oxidized by air in an electric furnace to form pure nitric oxide. This can be purified into nitric acid by distillation or fractional distillation. Nitric acid is so important for fertilizer manufacturing because it may not make sense economically to be able to produce without it.
Environmental Impact of Producing Nitric Acid
Nitric acid is a chemical compound which can be used in various industries, such as the production of other chemicals. The production of nitric acid has an environmental impact on the environment, specifically on water levels and air quality. Nitric acid is not a corrosive acid like sulfuric acid, but it does have the ability to corrode metals. Nitric acid can be used in the chemical industry as an intermediary product for other chemical compounds that are used in specific applications within various industries. One example is sodium nitrate, which is a common fertilizer and also a common intermediate in other chemical reactions. So with nitric acid, you get an increased yield from one step to another without needing any additional synthesis reactions.
Summing up
Nitric drive is, as the name suggests, a potent chemical substance that we encounter more often than we might think. Nitric acid is an important substance for many industries and has many different uses. It also has many potential side effects if not treated with care. The main thing to remember about nitric acid is to keep it away from children as they may think the liquid is a soft drink, or worse yet a tasty treat!
Andrew Parker