Sodium Nitrate from Ammonium Nitrate

[madcedar]

Is it possible to make sodium nitrate from ammonium nitrate?

 

NH4NO3 + NaCl -> NaNO3 + NH4Cl ??

 

Or by some other simple procedure.

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Well this is how it's done:

 

NH4NO3 + NaOH -> NaNO3 + NH3 (g)

 

And here's the video to show you how.

 

 

Cheers

[Melvin]

Your reaction is a little off...it's actually NH4NO3 + NaOH --> NaNO3 + NH3 + H2O

 

Be careful, though. As the video shows, the reaction is very exothermic and you could get sprayed by hot NaOH (which would suck). Ammonia is toxic as well.

[Fuzzwood]

Ice bath + slow addition will surely help.

[tomy]

You can make it by using NAOH instead of NACl.

[Melvin]

You can make it by using NAOH instead of NACl.

 

That's what I said. NaCl doesn't work because of the solubility of NaNO3. KCl works for KNO3, though.

[hermanntrude]

please spend some time checking the MSDS for the reactants and products of these reactions before attempting them, and make sure to pay special attention to ventilation. ammonia is very unpleasant without adequate ventilation, and sodium hydroxide is downright dangerous in the hands of the unprepared, as is ammonium nitrate

[Justonium]

I know this thread is old, but I want this here for viewers to see:

 

The best ways to make sodium nitrate from ammonium nitrate are to react with sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate. Much cheaper and less dangerous than using sodium hydroxide. Sodium carbonate is my favorite method because less is required, and because it makes a bit less gas bubbles when mixed with ammonium nitrate. Ammonium carbonate also has a decomposition temperature of about 20 degrees Celcius colder than that of ammonium bicarbonate, making me more confident that all of the byproduct has been decomposed. Also note that washing soda is a monohydrate, and that affects its molar mass.

 

reactions:

 

with baking soda: NH4NO3 + NaHCO3 --> NH4HCO3 + NaNO3

NH4HCO3 --> NH3 + H2O + CO2

 

with washing soda: 2NH4NO3 + Na2CO3 --> (NH4)2CO3 + 2NaNO3

(NH4)2CO3 --> 2NH3 + H2O + CO2

[MedicineMan]

Okay, that's all well and good but how do you do this reaction and save the ammonium bicarbonate? Is there a way? 

Well what I mean is, I suppose, is there any way you could do the operation at a low enough temperature that either it would crystallize out or any way you could catch it. I.e. a condenser, etc. to make ammonium bicarbonate...