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Author: Subject: Nitrous Oxide from Ammonium Nitrate
chemrox
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[*] posted on 13-12-2012 at 21:51


Quote: Originally posted by Fleaker  
Isn't it just easier to make N2O from sulfamic acid and nitric acid and be left with pure sulfuric acid? It's like $2.50/kg of N2O.

We use sulfamic to destroy nitric acid residues in aqua regia, and because N2O is a gas, it's favored. Heck of a lot faster than boiling it down!


so what do you do? mix equivalents of the two? would you have to wash the N2O?

Are we talking about N2O or nitrous oxide?




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uzaymaymunu
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[*] posted on 14-12-2012 at 15:16


"Heating 4 g. NH2SO3H with 10 cc. previously boiled 73% HNO3 over a small flame produces approx. 1 l. of pure N2O with 100% yield. HNO3 of higher concn. causes violent development of N2O."

I think the key is "previously boiled"

[Edited on 14-12-2012 by uzaymaymunu]




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AJKOER
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[*] posted on 25-6-2013 at 06:05


Quote: Originally posted by uzaymaymunu  
@kristofvagyok, i will heat ammonium nitrate in erlenmayer bulb. and forming gases (nh3+ nitrogen oxides + N2O + nh4no3 vapour ) will go gas washing solutions. Finally the pure N2O will fill in plastic balloon :)
All of these will be in atmospheric pressure. So it will never get overpresured.


In my opinion, the potential significant danger of someone intentionally upon washing or accidentally inhaling the raw gas mix (as described above) is not from solely the NO gas and its formation of NO2. The latter acid gas may quickly produce a burning sensation that may adequately forewarn one to quickly stop inhaling.

My concern is a bit more subtle as NH3 + NO + NO2 (from O2 and NO) could form a fine smoke of NH4NO2. Source: Per Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonium_nitrite ): "Ammonium nitrite forms naturally in the air and can be prepared by the absorption of equal parts nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide upon aqueous ammonia.[2]". In the case of dry NH3, the reaction has been given as follows:

NO2 + NO + 2 NH3 --> NH4NO2 + H2O + N2

Of importance, Ammonium nitrite is considered 'acutely toxic' (same source) upon ingestion, which could include inhalation of the dry powder.

Upon washing the NH4NO2 fine dust with aqueous Ferrous sulfate, one may simply produce a layer of the powder floating on the liquid. Bubbles of your 'pure' N2O could then be contaminated by the NH4NO2, or not, but my uncertainty suggests find another path like the previously discussed preparation via sulfamic acid and nitric acid.
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Here is an alternate preparation that suffers also from the nitrite problem as well. To quote (see http://www.transtutors.com/chemistry-homework-help/s-and-p-b... ):

" i) Very active metals such as Mn, Mg, Ca, etc. give H2 on treatment with very dilute HNO3 (2%).

(ii) Less active metals like Cu, Hg, Ag, Pb etc. give NO with dil. HNO3 . Zinc, however, gives N2O with dil HNO3 and NH4NO3 with very dilute HNO3.

Zn + 10HNO3 ( dilute ) → 4Zn(NO3)2 + N2O + 5H2O "

Now, nitrate salts in the presence of Zinc (see http://www.microbelibrary.org/library/laboratory-test/3660-n... ) and perhaps just NO as well (see http://www.cee.mtu.edu/~reh/papers/pubs/non_Honrath/fischer9... ) may also introduce some nitrites. So this preparation route does not solve the potential nitrite contamination issue discussed above.

Also, the above reaction is not clean as varying concentrations of Nitric acid can produce varying products. For example:

Zn + 4 HNO3 (Conc) --> Zn(NO3)2 + 2 NO2 + 2 H2O

Now, for the record, I may be over stating the potential threat of Ammonium nitrite poisoning in these N2O preparations, but, at least, I won't both be dead and wrong.


[Edited on 25-6-2013 by AJKOER]
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