Ammonium chloride

Ammonium chloride
Sample of Ammonium chloride
General
Systematic name	Ammonium chloride
Chemical formula	NH4Cl
Appearance	white crystalline powder
Physical
Formula weight	53.4913
Melting point	338°C (640F) sublimes
Boiling point	520°C (968F)
Density	1.527
Crystal structure	Isometric
Solubility	29.7g/100g water @ 0°C
Thermochemistry
Î"fH0gas	kJ/mol
Î"fH0liquid	kJ/mol
Î"fH0solid	-314.55 kJ/mol
S0gas, 1 bar	J/mol·K
S0liquid, 1 bar	J/mol·K
S0solid	94.85 J/mol·K
Safety
Ingestion	Induce vomiting. If victim is conscious and alert, give 2-4 cupfuls of milk or water.Seek medical help
Inhalation	Remove from exposure to fresh air. Seek medical help
Skin	Wash off with plenty of soap and water
Eyes	Flush eyes with plenty of clean water. Seek medical help.
NFPA 704
More info	Hazardous Chemical Database
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Ammonium chloride or Sal Ammoniac (chemically ammonium chloride (NH₄Cl); also nushadir salt, zalmiak, sal armagnac, sal armoniac, salmiakki, and salt armoniack) is, in its pure form, a clear white water-soluble crystalline salt with a biting taste.

In nature, the substance occurs in volcanic regions, forming on volcanic rocks near fume-releasing vents. The crystals deposit directly from the gaseous state, and tend to be short-lived, as they dissolve easily in water.

It is easy to produce artificially and is often created as a byproduct of other industries.

Uses

Historically it was considered one of the four alchemical "spirits". While the way that it dissociates into two corrosive materials (ammonia and hydrochloric acid) which attack metals convinced some eager alchemists that it might hold the key to converting one metal to another, Arabs used it as a source of ammonia:

:2NH₄Cl + 2CaO â†' CaCl₂ + Ca(OH)₂ + 2NH₃

It is used in manufacturing ammonium perchlorate (NH₄ClO₄):

: NaClO₄ + NH₄Cl â†' NH₄ClO₄ + NaCl

It is sold in blocks at hardware stores for use in cleaning the tip of a soldering iron and can also be included in solder as flux.

Other uses include a feed supplement for cattle, in hair shampoo, in textile printing, in the glue that bonds plywood, as an ingredient in nutritive media for yeast, in cleaning products, and as cough medicine. Its expectorant action is caused by irritative action on the bronchial mucosa. This causes the production of excess respiratory tract fluid which presumably is easier to cough up. It is the active ingredient in many antiperspirants, usually used in aerosol antiperspirants.

Ammonium chloride is used in snow treatment, namely on ski slopes at temperatures above 0 °C, to harden the snow and slow its melting. [1]

In several countries sal ammoniac is used to spice up liquorice-type dark candies (Finland's salmiakki is a popular example), and as a flavoring for vodkas.

In history

The modern name "ammonium" comes from sal ammoniac. The substance was known as nushadir salt (Arabic and Persian: نشادر) in Arabic-speaking countres and Persia, naosha () in China, nao sadar in India.

See also

* salt licorice
* Salmiakki
* Salmiakki Koskenkorva

External links

* Grades and Applications of Ammonium Chloride