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Author: Subject: Nitric Acid Distillation - Balanced Formula Check
RicRock
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[*] posted on 10-3-2013 at 12:25
Nitric Acid Distillation - Balanced Formula Check


Digging through posts/internet/freshman chemistry:

My non-distillation nitric acid proved too weak for my liking so I'm going to produce my next batch via distillation.
I have approximately 5 moles of Sodium Nitrate left so using the following formula.

5 NaNO3 + 2.5 H2SO4 → 5 HNO3 + 2.5 Na2SO4

Sodium Nitrate + Sulfuric Acid -> Nitric Acid + Sodium Sulphate

425.0g + 245.2g (133ml) -> 315.1g (209ml) + 355.1g

Values rounded to nearest 0.1g

Values Used
NaNO3 = 84.99467 g/mol
H2SO4 = 98.07848 g/mol Density 1.84 g/ml
Na2SO4 = 142.04214 g/mol
HNO3 = 63.01284 g/mol Density 1.51 g/ml

Basically looking for a double check of my formula and math.

TIA,
Ric
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AJKOER
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[*] posted on 10-3-2013 at 13:13


OK, instead of NaNO3 perhaps an excess of anhydrous Mg(NO3)2 as, per Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mg%28NO3%292 ):

"Anhydrous magnesium nitrate is also used to increase the concentration of nitric acid past its azeotrope of approximately 68% nitric acid and 32% water"
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hissingnoise
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[*] posted on 10-3-2013 at 13:21


It's a bit easier to concentrate HNO3 from H2SO4 than it is to acquire anhydrous Mg(NO3)2 . . .

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Magpie
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[*] posted on 10-3-2013 at 19:47


I think the following equation is more appropriate:

H2SO4 + NaNO3 ----> NaHSO4 + HNO3

Traditional recipes use equal weights of 96% H2SO4 and NaNO3.

See: http://www.sciencemadness.org/talk/viewthread.php?tid=13090




The single most important condition for a successful synthesis is good mixing - Nicodem
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