M. Thiokol - 15-4-2009 at 21:40
AN is very hard to find (impossible) in the local hardware stores and on the net it is in small amounts only. Can I find a substitute for the an/al
mixture that I can find at Home Depot etc...?
Thanks in advance
hissingnoise - 16-4-2009 at 03:40
It's a fertiliser---try farm-suppliers: it comes prilled with CaCO3 where I am.
The carbonate is easily removed and it works out very cheap. . .
kclo4 - 16-4-2009 at 20:12
You could always make it from ammonium sulfate and potassium nitrate.
hissingnoise - 17-4-2009 at 02:46
Are you sure kclo4; I would've thought AN is too soluble relative to KNO3 for that to work?
smuv - 17-4-2009 at 04:48
Calcium nitrate + ammonium sulfate works. The fertilizer grade product has a good percentage of ammonium nitrate to begin with though, as it is sold
as double salt (I believe this is less hygroscopic); so factor this into your stoichiometry. You could alternatively do a quick gravametric analysis
of precipitated calcium carbonate with sodium carbonate (for example) to establish the amount of ammonium sulfate needed.