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Ammonium Chloride

Its primary application involves providing nitrogen in fertilizers and serving as an electrolyte in dry cells. Additionally, it finds widespread use as an ingredient in galvanizing, tinning, and soldering fluxes, aiding in the removal of oxide layers from metals and enhancing solder adhesion. Furthermore, it is a key component in various proprietary cold medications and cough remedies due to its effectiveness as an expectorant.

Synonyms
AmChlor, Muriate of Ammonia, Salmiac, Ammonium Chloride, NH4Cl, Sal Ammoniac
Chemical Formula
ClH4N
CAS Number
12125-02-9

Characteristics

Molar Weight
53.489 g/mol
Melting Point
338.9°C
Boiling Point
520°C
Density
1.53 g/cc
Forms
White, Solid

Uses and Applications

Key applications

  • Metal working
  • Buffer agent
  • Medicines
  • Plating
  • Oil and Gas
  • Fertiliser
  • Batteries
  • Cosmetic products
  • Electroplating

Industries

Ammonium chloride

Ammonium chloride is assigned the chemical formula NH4Cl. It is a colourless, crystalline solid that is the ammonium salt of hydrochloric acid. Ammonium chloride is found in its natural form as a mineral known as salmiak.
Properties of Ammonium Chloride
Ammonium chloride is colourless and forms cubic crystals. It dissolves well in water. The aqueous solution reacts acidically because of the so-called salt hydrolysis of the ammonium cation. The pH value of a 1 percent solution is about 5.5. Ammonium chloride can be purified from water by recrystallisation. The salt dissolves poorly in ethanol, and is hardly soluble in acetone and ether. If ammonium chloride is mixed with strong bases - such as a sodium hydroxide solution or a potassium hydroxide solution - gaseous ammonia is released. If the crystalline solid is mixed with low-volatile, concentrated acids, such as sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid, hydrogen chloride is formed.
With an increase in temperature, ammonium chloride increasingly dissociates to form ammonia and hydrogen chloride. At 340 °C, the salt changes into the gaseous state. Ammonium chloride melts under pressure (34.4 bar) at 520 °C. In the laboratory, the salt is obtained by neutralising aqueous ammonia solution with hydrochloric acid or by the reaction of gaseous ammonia with gaseous hydrogen chloride. It also occurs as a by-product in the extraction of soda ash by the Solvay process.
White storage tanks under a blue sky. Gasoline, oil, or other storage.

Ammonium chloride in the chemical industry

In order to use ammonium chloride as a chemical buffer, ammonia is added to ammonium chloride solutions. Together with alkali nitrates, it also functions as a component in so-called "weather explosives" in underground mining and is often contained in white smoke powder. White smoke powder is used, for example, in leak detection in industrial plants, in fire brigade and disaster control exercises or in filming.
Variety of pills and capsules

Ammonium chloride in medicine

In the pharmaceutical industry, ammonium chloride is used as a cough expectorant. For example, it is found in ammonia liquorice or ammonia pastilles and in lozenges.
two men clinking glasses of whiskey drink alcohol beverage together at counter in the pub

Ammonium chloride in stimulants.

The Tobacco Ordinance in Germany allows the addition of ammonium chloride to snuff and chewing tobacco (not to tobacco for smoking). As a food additive, it bears the designation E510.

Other uses of ammonium chloride

Ammonium chloride is used in tanning and dyeing as well as in the production of cold mixtures. Since it forms slightly fuming and weakly adhering chlorides with metal oxides and thus cleans the metal surface, it is also used in tinning, galvanising and soldering.
It serves as an electrolyte in zinc-carbon batteries. Ammonium chloride is also used to remove soot from fireplaces, tile, coal and oil stoves.