Method for low-cost synthesis of nitric acid by oxidation of ammonia derived from its compounds

Abstract

Objective: Nitic acid is one of the essential acids in a chemical laboratory, but it is also one of the more difficult to obtain for small scale chemical research. It is therefore of importance to look into low-cost synthesis of it. This paper describes a detailed procedure for synthesizing nitic acid from more common and easy to obtain compounds. Due to the difficulty of purchasing nitrate compounds, they will be avoided in the described process and substituted with more common ammonium compounds. Methods: The process in question is the Ostwald process, usually used for large scale acid production. It is modified and therefore a customized apparatus has been developed to convert abundant and easy to get ammonium compounds into the desired nitric acid. Results: The experimental analysis shows that although the developed setup manages to synthesize the nitic acid, the final efficiency will be determined by ammonia-air mixture and the gas flow rate.Conclusion: Despite its solubility in water it is very difficult to collect and it escapes the apparatus even after being bubbled in water several times. A possible solution for this “smoke” would be a fine quartz wool air filter that could be used to collect the ammonium nitrate, but its generation should be avoided because of the inefficiency it brings. The catalyst and apparatus used in this paper allow for the Ostwald process to be used for small scale nitric acid production offer better control over its production speed than the Birkeland-Eyde process.