Nitric acid

Appearance: Colorless Liquid

Chemical Name: Aqua Fortis, Niter Spirit

Chemical Formula: HNO3

Packaging Type: 75 Kg. Drums, IBCs, Bulk Tankers

Definition and Areas of Use:

Nitric acid is a strong inorganic acid known as nitrate among the public. Since its salts are called nitrates, it is also defined as nitrate acid. The 100% nitric acid shown with the formula HNO3 is called absolute nitric acid, while the 60-66% and commercially available form is called ordinary nitric acid, or as it is called among the public, nitric acid. Nitric acid, which is smokeless up to 69%, becomes smoky with increasing density and starts to fog even in the open air. Nitric acid, which was obtained from saltpeter in the past, began to be obtained in other ways due to its unavailability everywhere and the use of the acid in explosives. This has led to the emergence of a very large nitrogen industry in this industry.

Pure nitric acid, which is colorless, boils at 86 degrees. Since it is an unstable compound, it slowly turns into nitrogen oxides at room temperature. Ordinary nitric acid, on the other hand, is usually brown in color because it contains nitrogen dioxide. Nitric acid, one of the strongest acids, is used as a strong oxidizing agent: With this effect, it forms metals, salts and free hydrogen. It forms oxides with some metals and nonmetals. When combined with chloridric acid, it becomes the only mixture that dissolves gold.

Nitric acid, which was produced synthetically with the establishment of the nitrogen industry, can be obtained in different ways today. In some countries, if the ammonia industry is developed, ammonia is used in production. While ammonia is passed through the air in gas form over catalysts, the ammonia nitrogen combines with the oxygen in the air to form nitrogen oxide. Nitrous oxide is converted into nitric acid with oxygen and water.

In Norway, since nitric acid is a mixture of air, nitrogen and oxygen, and since electricity is quite cheap in this country, these gases are combined with electricity. This method is called the Norwegian method or the Haber Ostwald method. In this method, air is passed through a high temperature area created by an electric arc using a suitable current. At this stage, nitrogen and oxygen combine and become nitrogen oxide. In the cold area, oxygen and water combine again and form nitric acid.

Areas of Use

It is used in fertilizer production.
It is used in the metal industry for the purification of metals.
It is used during the etching process of metals.
It is used in the production of explosives.
It is used in places such as water treatment where pH needs to be reduced.
It is used in the paint chemicals industry.
Used in the production of dynamite.
It is used to produce silver nitrate.
It is used in electropolishing processes.