Ammonium Nitrate Formula: Structure, Production and Applications

The ammonium nitrate formula is NH4NO3. It consists of the ammonium cation (NH4)+ and the nitrate anion (NO3)–.

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Structure of Ammonium Nitrate

Chemical Data

Production of Ammonium Nitrate Formula

Physical Properties of Ammonium Nitrate Formula

• The crystalline solid ammonium nitrate has a white/grey color and has a trigonal crystal structure.
• It is highly soluble in water at 200C.
• When the temperature is elevated to 100, the solubility increases to 1024g/100ml.
• The breakdown of NH4NO3 in H2O produces a lot of heat.
• The shock and friction sensitivities of this compound are extremely low.

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Chemical Properties of Ammonium Nitrate Formula

• Alkali metal nitrates and ammonia are produced when NH4NO3 reacts with alkali metal hydroxides.
• This chemical decomposes into nitrous oxide (N2O) and water when heated.
• When this chemical bursts, it produces N2, O2, and water as byproducts.
• Despite being part of many explosives, ammonium nitrate is not explosive.
• A primary explosive like azide must be added to it in order to create an explosive mixture. Due to its high nitrogen content of 34%, NH4NO3 forms a key component of many fertilisers, unlike urea which is prone to nitrogen loss into the atmosphere.When mixed with fuel oil, it produces ANFO - one of the most popular industrial explosives.Its endothermic dissolution in water makes it an ideal agent for quick cold packs.Furthermore, it is an ingredient in explosives utilized in both mining and construction industries.

Health Hazards of Ammonium Nitrate

• It is possible to find health and safety information in material safety data sheets available from suppliers and on the Internet.
• Ammonium nitrate, a non-toxic compound commonly used in fertilizer products, has an LD50 of 2217 mg/kg, roughly two-thirds that of table salt.
• When heated, ammonium nitrate breaks down non-violently into nitrous oxide and water vapor. Yet detonation can cause it to explode.
• Oxidation of big stores of the agent may additionally be an issue, since it can get out of hand and culminate in a blast quickly.

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Ammonium Nitrate as Fertilizers

Applications of Ammonium Nitrate

• Due to its high nitrogen content of 34%, NH4NO3 forms a key component of many fertilizers, unlike urea which is prone to nitrogen loss into the atmosphere.
• When mixed with fuel oil, it produces ANFO - one of the most popular industrial explosives.
• Its endothermic dissolution in water makes it an ideal agent for quick cold packs.
• Furthermore, it is an ingredient in explosives utilized in both mining and construction industries.
• NH4NO3 is an ionic salt with many applications, the most noteworthy being its incorporation into fertilizers.
• It contains high nitrogen levels (34%) and does not readily dissipate as urea does.
• Commonly used to produce ANFO (an explosive created by mixing it with fuel oil), NH4NO3 is also a component in explosives employed in mining and construction.
• Additionally, this compound can be found in instant cold packs because of its endothermic character when dissolved in water.
• Even so, due to the potential for abuse, it is gradually becoming restricted by governments around the world – most notably seen in the 2011 Delhi bombings and 2013 Hyderabad explosions which both involved ammonium nitrate components.