Nomenclature
CAS number: 12125-02-9
Ammonium chloride ((NH
4)Cl); ammonium muriate; sal ammoniac; salmiac.
ClH
4N; mol wt 53.49.
Cl 66.28%, H 7.54%, N 26.19%.
NH
4Cl.
Description and references
Contains 99.5-99.8% NH4Cl; principal
impurity is NaCl; exists in two temperature dependent crystal modifications.
Prepn and properties: Gmelins, Ammonium (8th ed.) 23, pp 150-184 (1936); N. C. R. Kane, “Ammonium
Chloride” in Mellor's Vol.
VIII, supplement 1, Nitrogen (part 1), 378-432 (1964).
Manuf: A. W. Bamforth, S. R. S. Sastry, Chem. Process Eng. 53, 72 (1972). NMR study: K. H. Michel, Proc. Int. Sch. Phys. 1976, 392. Toxicity data: E. M. Boyd, K. G. W. Seymour, Exp. Med. Surg. 4, 223 (1946). Brief review: C. W. Weston in Kirk-Othmer
Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology vol 2 (Wiley-Interscience,
New York, 4th ed., 1992) pp 695-698. Review of properties and use
in water treatment: P. Smeets, Trib. Eau 570, 26-29 (1994).
Properties
Colorless, odorless crystals or cryst masses;
or white, granular powder; cooling, saline taste; somewhat hygroscopic.
Tendency to cake. Strongly endothermic. d204 1.5274. Sublimes without
melting. Soly in water (w/w): 22.9% (0°); 26.0% (15°); 28.3% (25°);
39.6% (80°). Freely sol in water, glycerin, more so in boiling water.
HCl and NaCl decrease soly in water. Sparingly sol in alcohol.
Almost insol in acetone, ether, ethyl acetate. pH of aq solns (25°):
1% 5.5; 3% 5.1; 10% 5.0. LD50 in rats
(mg/kg): 30 i.m. (Boyd, Seymour). LD50 in rats (mg/kg): 1650 orally (Smeets).Caution
Potential symptoms of overexposure
to fumes are irritation of eyes, skin, respiratory system; cough,
dyspnea, pulmonary sensitization. See NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards (DHHS/NIOSH 97-140,
1997) p 16.Use
As a flux in zinc and tin plating; electroplating,
electrolytic refining of zinc; etching solutions in manufacture of
printed circuit boards; in dry and Leclanché batteries; as a nitrogen
source for fertilization of rice and wheat, manufacturing of explosives;
flame suppressant; hardener for formaldehyde-based adhesives; mordant
for dyes and printing.
Therapeutic Category
Acidifier.
Therapeutic Category (Veterinary)
Expectorant; diaphoretic; acidifying
diuretic.
Keywords
Acidifier