7757-79-1 Usage
Chemical Description
Potassium nitrate is used in a reaction with HCMX to produce a dark-brown liquid.
Description
Potassium nitrate, with the chemical formula KNO3, is a crystalline salt and a strong oxidizer. It is also known as saltpeter and is the mineral niter. Potassium nitrate is used in various applications, including the production of gunpowder, fertilizers, medicine, food preservation, and fireworks.
Uses
Used in Explosives Industry:
Potassium nitrate is used as a primary ingredient in the manufacture of gunpowder and other explosives due to its strong oxidizing properties.
Used in Fireworks Industry:
It is used in fireworks to create various colors and effects.
Used in Food Industry:
Potassium nitrate is used as a preservative and color fixative in meats, helping to maintain the freshness and appearance of the product.
Used in Agriculture:
It serves as a water-soluble and virtually chloride-free source of nitrate-nitrogen and potassium nutrients for high-value crops such as vegetables, fruits, and flowers. It is particularly beneficial for chloride-sensitive crops like potatoes, strawberries, beans, cabbage, lettuce, peanuts, carrots, onions, blackberries, tobacco, apricots, grapefruits, and avocados.
Used in Glass Manufacturing:
Potassium nitrate is used in the production of certain types of glass.
Used in Metallurgy:
It is used as a flux in metallurgical assays and for metal treatment.
Used in Medicine:
Potassium nitrate is used to treat asthma and relieve high blood pressure.
Used in Dentistry:
It is used in toothpaste to reduce tooth hypersensitivity.
Used in Chemical Production:
Potassium nitrate is used in the production of nitric acid and as a freezing mixture in various industrial processes.
Used in Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Plants:
Recently, potassium nitrate has been utilized to significantly increase the efficiency of Concentrating Solar Power plants.
potassium nitrate fertilizer
Potassium nitrate is a water-soluble NK fertilizer containing 13.7% nitrate nitrogen and 46% potassium oxide (38.4%). Potassium nitrate (KNO3) is a soluble source of two major essential plant nutrients. It’s commonly used as a fertilizer for high-value crops that benefit from nitrate (NO3-) nutrition and a source of potassium (K+) free of chloride (Cl-).
Production
Manufacturers typically make potassium nitrate fertilizer (sometimes referred to as nitrate of potash or NOP by reacting potassium chloride (KCl) with a nitrate source. Depending on the objectives and available resources, the nitrate may come from sodium nitrate, nitric acid or ammonium nitrate. The resulting KNO3 is identical regardless of the manufacturing process. Potassium nitrate is commonly sold as a water-soluble, crystalline material primarily intended for dissolving and applying with water or in a prilled form for soil application. Traditionally, this compound is known as saltpeter.
Application
Growers value fertilizing with KNO3 especially in conditions where a highly soluble, chloride-free nutrient source is needed. In such soils, all of the N is immediately available for plant uptake as nitrate, requiring no additional microbial action and soil transformation. Growers of high-value vegetable and orchard crops sometime prefer to use a nitrate-based source of nutrition in an effort to boost yield and quality. Potassium nitrate contains a relatively high proportion of K, with an N to K ratio of approximately one to three. Many crops have high K demands and can remove as much or more K than N at harvest.
Applications of KNO3 to the soil are made before the growing season or as a supplement during the growing season. A diluted solution is sometimes sprayed on plant foliage to stimulate physiological processes or to overcome nutrient deficiencies. Foliar application of K during fruit development? advantages some crops, since this growth stage often coincides with high K demands during the time of declining root activity and nutrient uptake. It’s also commonly used for greenhouse plant production and hydroponic culture.
Potassium nitrate accounts for only a small portion of the global K fertilizer market. It’s primarily used where its unique composition and properties can provide specific benefits to growers. Further, it’s easy to handle and apply, and is compatible with many other fertilizers, including specialty fertilizers for many high-value specialty crops, as well as those used on grain and fiber crops.
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potassium_nitrate
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/potassium_nitrate#section=Top
http://www.cropnutrition.com/potassium-nitrate
History
Saltpeter’s most prominent use in human history is
as the principal ingredient in gunpowder.The potassium nitrate used in gunpowder was originally obtained from natural mineral
deposits of niter. Small quantities formed as efflorescence deposits on damp stone walls were identified as early as 2000 b.c.e. in Sumerian writings. As the use of black powder expanded
with the development of weapons, the demand for saltpeter exceeded supply. This was exacerbated
during times of war. To meet the demand for saltpeter to produce black powder, a saltpeter
industry developed that followed prescribed methods to produce large quantities of saltpeter.
The method depended on processing dirt obtained from areas where nitrates would naturally
form. These were areas in which animal waste had accumulated such as the dirt
floors of barns, stables, herding pens, caves, or cellars. The ammonia compounds in the urine
and fecal wastes in these areas underwent nitrifi cation to produce nitrates, which combined
with potassium in the soil to form saltpeter.
Production Methods
Potassium nitrate may be produced by several methods. It is made commercially by reacting potassium chloride with nitric acid at high temperature.Nitrosyl chloride, a product obtained in the reaction, is converted into chlorine in this manufacturing process. Also, nitric acid is partly recycled in the process. The reactions are (Dancy, W.B. 1981. Potassium Compounds. In Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, 3rd. ed. Pp. 939-42. New York: Wiley Interscience):3KCl + 4HNO3 →3KNO3+ Cl2+ NOCl + 2H2O2NOCl + 4HNO3→6NO2+ Cl2+ 2H2O4NO2+ O2+ 2H2O →4HNO3Potassium nitrate also can be prepared by mixing a hot saturated solution of potassium chloride and sodium nitrate. The reaction is:K++ Clˉ+ Na++ NO3ˉ→NaCl↓+ K++ NO3ˉSodium chloride is less soluble than KCl, NaNo3and KNo3. It separates out by crystallization. The remaining solution is cooled to ambient tempera-ture. Potassium nitrate crystallizes out.
World Health Organization (WHO)
Potassium nitrate was formerly used as a diuretic. Its use for this
purpose is now considered obsolete but it is still available in at least one country
for the correction of potassium deficiency. It is aslo widely permitted at
concentrations of the order of 5% in proprietary toothpastes. In some countries the
drug has been banned due to a potential carcinogenic risk arising from the
excessive use of nitrates and their transformation to nitrosamines.
Air & Water Reactions
Soluble in water.
Reactivity Profile
Potassium nitrate mixed with alkyl esters may explode, owing to the formation of alkyl nitrates; mixtures with phosphorus, tin (II) chloride, or other reducing agents may react explosively [Bretherick 1979. p. 108-109]. Powdered antimony mixed with Potassium nitrate explodes when heated [Mellor 9:282 1946-47]. A mixture of antimony trisulfide and Potassium nitrate explodes at a red heat [Mellor 9:524. 1946-47]. Arsenic disulfide forms explosive mixtures when mixed with Potassium nitrate, [Mellor 9:270.1946-47]. A mixture of sodium acetate and Potassium nitrate may cause an explosion [Pieters 1957. p. 30]. A mixture of Potassium nitrate and sodium hypophosphite constitutes a powerful explosive [Mellor 8:881. 1946-47]. A mixture of powdered zirconium and Potassium nitrate explodes when heated above the melting point [Mellor 7:116. 1946-47].
Hazard
Dangerous fire and explosion risk when
shocked or heated, or in contact with organic mate-
rials, strong oxidizing agent.
Health Hazard
Exposure can cause mild irritation of eyes, nose and throat.
Flammability and Explosibility
Nonflammable
Biochem/physiol Actions
Potassium nitrate serves as a source of nitrate for cell growth. It also induces the synthesis of lipid in alga Neochloris oleoabundans.
Safety Profile
Poison by intravenous
route. Moderately toxic by ingestion. An
experimental teratogen. Experimental
reproductive effects. Mutation data
reported. Ingestion of large quantities may
cause gastroenteritis. Chronic exposure can
cause anemia, nephritis, and
methemoglobinemia. When heated, reaction
with calcium hydroxide + polychlorinated
phenols forms extremely toxic chlorinated
benzodtoxins.
A powerful oxidizer. Gunpowder is a
mixture of potassium nitrate + sulfur +
charcoal. Explosive reaction with aluminum
+ barium nitrate + potassium perchlorate +
water (in storage), boron + laminac +
trichloroethylene. Forms explosive mixtures
with lactose, powdered metals (e.g.,
titanium, antimony, germanium), metal
sulfides (e.g., antimony trisulfide, barium
sulfide, calcium sulfide, germanium
monosulfide, titanium disulfide, arsenic
disulfide, molybdenum disulfide), nonmetals
(e.g., boron, carbon, white phosphorus,
arsenic), organic materials, phosphides (e.g.,
copper(l1) phosphide, copper
monophosphide), reducing agents (e.g.,
sodium phosphinate, sodium thiosulfate),
sodium acetate. Can react violently under
the appropriate conditions with 1,3-
bis(trichlorometh~d)benzene, boron
phosphde, F2, calcium shcide, charcoal,
chromium nitride, Na hypophosphte,
ma2O2 + dextrose), red phosphorus, (S +
As2S3), thorium dicarbide, trichloroethylene,
zinc, zirconium. When heated to
decomposition it emits very toxic fumes of
NOx and K2O. See also NITRATES.
Potential Exposure
Used to make explosives, gunpowder,
fireworks, rocket fuel; matches, fertilizer, fluxes, glass
manufacture; and as a diuretic
Shipping
UN1486 Potassium nitrate, Hazard Class: 5.1;
Labels: 5.1-Oxidizer.
Purification Methods
It crystallises from hot H2O (0.5mL/g) on cooling (cf KNO2 below). Dry it for 12hours under vacuum at 70o. The solubility in H2O is 13.3% at 0o, 110% at 60o, and 246% at 100o. After two recrystallisations, technical grade salt had <0.001 ppm of metals. The fused salt is a powerful oxidising agent.
Incompatibilities
A powerful oxidizer. Dangerously
reactive and friction-and shock-sensitive when mixed with
organic materials and many materials. Violent reactions
with reducing agents; chemically active metals; charcoal,
trichloroethylene.
Check Digit Verification of cas no
The CAS Registry Mumber 7757-79-1 includes 7 digits separated into 3 groups by hyphens. The first part of the number,starting from the left, has 4 digits, 7,7,5 and 7 respectively; the second part has 2 digits, 7 and 9 respectively.
Calculate Digit Verification of CAS Registry Number 7757-79:
(6*7)+(5*7)+(4*5)+(3*7)+(2*7)+(1*9)=141
141 % 10 = 1
So 7757-79-1 is a valid CAS Registry Number.
InChI:InChI=1/K.NO3/c;2-1(3)4/q+1;-1
This product is a nationally controlled contraband, and the Lookchem platform doesn't provide relevant sales information.