Nitric acid

Application areas

Nitric acid is an important chemical raw material, mainly used to make ammonium nitrate, calcium ammonium nitrate, nitric acid phosphate fertilizer, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium and other compound fertilizers. As an essential raw material for making nitrate nitrogen fertilizers (such as ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, etc.), aqua regia, nitroglycerin, nitrocellulose, nitrobenzene, picric acid and nitrate esters, it is also used to make nitro-containing explosives.

organic industry

Used to produce nitro compounds such as tetranitromethane, nitrohexane, 1-nitropropane, 2, 4-dinitrophenoxyEthanol, etc.

dye industry

Used for the synthesis of dye intermediates such as p-nitroanisole, 4,4'-dinitrodiphenyl ether, p-nitrophenol, 2, 5-dichloronitrobenzene and other dye intermediates.

Paint industry

Used in the manufacture of nitrocellulose varnishes and nitrocellulose enamels.

Pharmaceutical industry

Used in the manufacture of nitroacetophenone.

water treatment

Nitric acid can be used as a cleaning and rust remover for carbon steel and stainless steel equipment, and is used in the redox treatment of sewage and wastewater. In the biological treatment process of sewage, it can be used as a nitrogen source for microbial nutrients.

Other functions

Nitric acid acts as an oxidizing agent to oxidize alcohols, aniline and other chemicals. and has been used as propellant in rockets. Nitric acid is also a raw material for the production of nitrates of calcium, copper, silver, cobalt and strontium. Nitric acid is also used to refine metals (that is, to oxidize impure metals into nitrates, remove impurities, and then reduce them).

Nitric acid is corrosive to most metals. High concentrations of nitric acid have a passivating effect on metals. It has good dissolving power for α-Fe2O3 and magnetic Fe3O4.

Nitric acid is used as an etchant and a strong acid cleaning corrosive agent, and can be used in conjunction with glacial acetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, etc.

Nitric acid is used as an analytical reagent, such as a solvent and an oxidant. It is also used in organic synthesis to prepare various nitro compounds.