Aluminium nitrate
Encyclopedia
Aluminium nitrate is a salt of aluminium
and nitric acid
, existing normally as a crystalline hydrate, most commonly as aluminium nitrate nonahydrate, Al(NO3)3·9H2O, with a molecular formula weight of 212.996 g/mol.
layer.
Aluminium nitrate is made by adding nitric acid to aluminium trichloride. Nitrosyl chloride
is produced as a by-product; it bubbles out of the solution as a gas.
Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate can also be made by adding a lead nitrate solution to an aluminum sulfate solution. The insoluble lead sulfate is precipitated out of the solution, leaving a solution of aluminum nitrate.
The nonahydrate and other hydrated aluminum nitrates have many applications. These salts are used to produce alumina for preparation of insulating papers, in cathode ray tube
heating elements, and on transformer core laminates. The hydrated salts are also used for the extraction of actinide
elements.
It is used in the laboratory and classroom such as in the reaction:
Al(NO3)3 + 3NaOH → Al(OH)3 + 3NaNO3
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
and nitric acid
Nitric acid
Nitric acid , also known as aqua fortis and spirit of nitre, is a highly corrosive and toxic strong acid.Colorless when pure, older samples tend to acquire a yellow cast due to the accumulation of oxides of nitrogen. If the solution contains more than 86% nitric acid, it is referred to as fuming...
, existing normally as a crystalline hydrate, most commonly as aluminium nitrate nonahydrate, Al(NO3)3·9H2O, with a molecular formula weight of 212.996 g/mol.
Preparation
Aluminium nitrate is not easily made by adding aluminium to nitric acid, as the aluminium forms a passivationPassivation
Passivation is the process of making a material "passive", and thus less reactive with surrounding air, water, or other gases or liquids. The goal is to inhibit corrosion, whether for structural or cosmetic reasons. Passivation of metals is usually achieved by the deposition of a layer of oxide...
layer.
Aluminium nitrate is made by adding nitric acid to aluminium trichloride. Nitrosyl chloride
Nitrosyl chloride
Nitrosyl chloride is the chemical compound NOCl. It is a yellow gas that is most commonly encountered as a decomposition product of aqua regia, a mixture of hydrochloric acid and nitric acid...
is produced as a by-product; it bubbles out of the solution as a gas.
Aluminum nitrate nonahydrate can also be made by adding a lead nitrate solution to an aluminum sulfate solution. The insoluble lead sulfate is precipitated out of the solution, leaving a solution of aluminum nitrate.
Uses
Aluminium nitrate is a strong oxidizing agent. It is used in tanning leather, antiperspirants, corrosion inhibitors, extraction of uranium, petroleum refining, and as a nitrating agent.The nonahydrate and other hydrated aluminum nitrates have many applications. These salts are used to produce alumina for preparation of insulating papers, in cathode ray tube
Cathode ray tube
The cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun and a fluorescent screen used to view images. It has a means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam onto the fluorescent screen to create the images. The image may represent electrical waveforms , pictures , radar targets and...
heating elements, and on transformer core laminates. The hydrated salts are also used for the extraction of actinide
Actinide
The actinide or actinoid series encompasses the 15 metallic chemical elements with atomic numbers from 89 to 103, actinium through lawrencium.The actinide series derives its name from the group 3 element actinium...
elements.
It is used in the laboratory and classroom such as in the reaction:
Al(NO3)3 + 3NaOH → Al(OH)3 + 3NaNO3
External links
- http://www.eol.ucar.edu/~beaton/ChemWeb/worksheets/rxnws.html
- MSDS of nonahydrate
- Government of Canada Fact Sheets and Frequently Asked Questions: Aluminum Salts