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Names | |
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IUPAC name Ammonium perchlorate | |
Other names AP | |
Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) | |
ChemSpider | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.029.305 |
EC Number |
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PubChem CID | |
RTECS number |
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UNII | |
UN number | 1442 |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
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Properties | |
NH4ClO4 | |
Molar mass | 117.49 g/mol |
Appearance | White crystalline [1] |
Density | 1.95 g/cm3 |
Melting point | Exothermic decomposition before melting at >200 °C [2] |
11.56 g/100 mL (0 °C) 20.85 g/100 mL (20 °C) 57.01 g/100 mL (100 °C) | |
Solubility | Soluble in methanol Partially soluble in acetone, ethanol Insoluble in diethyl ether [3] |
Structure | |
Orthorhombic (<240 °C) Cubic (>240 °C) | |
Thermochemistry | |
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | -295.77 kJ/mol [4] |
Hazards | |
GHS labelling: | |
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Danger | |
H201, H271, H319, H373 | |
P210, P220, P221, P230, P240, P250, P260, P264, P280, P283, P305+P351+P338, P306+P360, P314, P337+P313, P370+P378, P370+P380, P371+P380+P375, P372, P373, P401, P501 | |
NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
Safety data sheet (SDS) | External MSDS [5] |
Related compounds | |
Other anions | Ammonium chlorate Ammonium chloride |
Other cations | Potassium perchlorate Sodium perchlorate Lithium perchlorate |
Related compounds | Perchloric acid Ammonium perbromate |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). |
Ammonium perchlorate ("AP") is an inorganic compound with the formula NH4 ClO4 . It is a colorless or white solid that is soluble in water. It is a powerful oxidizer. Combined with a fuel, it can be used as a rocket propellant called ammonium perchlorate composite propellant. Its instability has involved it in a number of accidents, such as the PEPCON disaster.
Ammonium perchlorate (AP) is produced by reaction between ammonia and perchloric acid. This process is the main outlet for the industrial production of perchloric acid. The salt also can be produced by salt metathesis reaction of ammonium salts with sodium perchlorate. This process exploits the relatively low solubility of NH4ClO4, which is about 10% of that for sodium perchlorate. [6]
AP crystallises as colorless rhombohedra.
Like most ammonium salts, ammonium perchlorate decomposes before melting. Mild heating results in production of hydrogen chloride, nitrogen, oxygen, and water.
The combustion of AP is quite complex and is widely studied. AP crystals decompose before melting, even though a thin liquid layer has been observed on crystal surfaces during high-pressure combustion processes. [7] Strong heating may lead to explosions. Complete reactions leave no residue. Pure crystals cannot sustain a flame below the pressure of 2 MPa.
AP is a Class 4 oxidizer (can undergo an explosive reaction) for particle sizes over 15 micrometres [8] and is classified as an explosive for particle sizes less than 15 micrometres. [9] [10]
During World War I England and France used mixtures featuring ammonium perchlorate (such as "balstine") as substitute high explosive.
The primary use of ammonium perchlorate is in making solid fuel propellants. [11] When AP is mixed with a fuel (like a powdered aluminium and/or with an elastomeric binder), it can generate self-sustained combustion at pressures far below atmospheric pressure. It is an important oxidizer with a decades-long history of use in solid rocket propellants – space launch (including the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster), military, amateur, and hobby high-power rockets, as well as in some fireworks.
Some "breakable" epoxy adhesives contain suspensions of AP. Upon heating to 300 °C, the AP degrades the organic adhesive, breaking the cemented joint.
Perchlorate itself confers little acute toxicity. For example, sodium perchlorate has an LD50 of 2–4 g/kg and is eliminated rapidly after ingestion. [6] However, chronic exposure to perchlorates, even in low concentrations, has been shown to cause various thyroid problems, as it is taken up in place of iodine.
Perchloric acid is a mineral acid with the formula HClO4. Usually found as an aqueous solution, this colorless compound is a stronger acid than sulfuric acid, nitric acid and hydrochloric acid. It is a powerful oxidizer when hot, but aqueous solutions up to approximately 70% by weight at room temperature are generally safe, only showing strong acid features and no oxidizing properties. Perchloric acid is useful for preparing perchlorate salts, especially ammonium perchlorate, an important rocket fuel component. Perchloric acid is dangerously corrosive and readily forms potentially explosive mixtures.
Ammonium nitrate is a chemical compound with the formula NH4NO3. It is a white crystalline salt consisting of ions of ammonium and nitrate. It is highly soluble in water and hygroscopic as a solid, although it does not form hydrates. It is predominantly used in agriculture as a high-nitrogen fertilizer.
An oxidizing agent is a substance in a redox chemical reaction that gains or "accepts"/"receives" an electron from a reducing agent. In other words, an oxidizer is any substance that oxidizes another substance. The oxidation state, which describes the degree of loss of electrons, of the oxidizer decreases while that of the reductant increases; this is expressed by saying that oxidizers "undergo reduction" and "are reduced" while reducers "undergo oxidation" and "are oxidized". Common oxidizing agents are oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and the halogens.
Potassium chlorate is the inorganic compound with the molecular formula KClO3. In its pure form, it is a white solid. After sodium chlorate, it is the second most common chlorate in industrial use. It is a strong oxidizing agent and its most important application is in safety matches. In other applications it is mostly obsolete and has been replaced by safer alternatives in recent decades. It has been used
Potassium perchlorate is the inorganic salt with the chemical formula KClO4. Like other perchlorates, this salt is a strong oxidizer when the solid is heated at high temperature although it usually reacts very slowly in solution with reducing agents or organic substances. This colorless crystalline solid is a common oxidizer used in fireworks, ammunition percussion caps, explosive primers, and is used variously in propellants, flash compositions, stars, and sparklers. It has been used as a solid rocket propellant, although in that application it has mostly been replaced by the more performant ammonium perchlorate.
Dichlorine heptoxide is the chemical compound with the formula Cl2O7. This chlorine oxide is the anhydride of perchloric acid. It is produced by the careful distillation of perchloric acid in the presence of the dehydrating agent phosphorus pentoxide:
Sodium perchlorate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula NaClO4. It consists of sodium cations Na+ and perchlorate anions ClO−4. It is a white crystalline, hygroscopic solid that is highly soluble in water and ethanol. It is usually encountered as sodium perchlorate monohydrate NaClO4·H2O. The compound is noteworthy as the most water-soluble of the common perchlorate salts.
Ammonium chlorate is an inorganic compound with the formula NH4ClO3.
Lithium perchlorate is the inorganic compound with the formula LiClO4. This white or colourless crystalline salt is noteworthy for its high solubility in many solvents. It exists both in anhydrous form and as a trihydrate.
Ammonium perrhenate (APR) is the ammonium salt of perrhenic acid, NH4ReO4. It is the most common form in which rhenium is traded. It is a white salt; soluble in ethanol and water, and mildly soluble in NH4Cl. It was first described soon after the discovery of rhenium.
Perchloryl fluoride is a reactive gas with the chemical formula ClO
3F. It has a characteristic sweet odor that resembles gasoline and kerosene. It is toxic and is a powerful oxidizing and fluorinating agent. It is the acid fluoride of perchloric acid.
A pyrotechnic composition is a substance or mixture of substances designed to produce an effect by heat, light, sound, gas/smoke or a combination of these, as a result of non-detonative self-sustaining exothermic chemical reactions. Pyrotechnic substances do not rely on oxygen from external sources to sustain the reaction.
Ammonium perchlorate composite propellant (APCP) is a solid rocket propellant. It differs from many traditional solid rocket propellants such as black powder or zinc-sulfur, not only in chemical composition and overall performance but also by being cast into shape, as opposed to powder pressing as with black powder. This provides manufacturing regularity and repeatability, which are necessary requirements for use in the aerospace industry.
Nitronium perchlorate, NO2ClO4, also known as nitryl perchlorate and nitroxyl perchlorate, is an inorganic chemical, the salt of the perchlorate anion and the nitronium cation. It forms colorless monoclinic crystals. It is hygroscopic, and is a strong oxidizing and nitrating agent. It may become hypergolic in contact with organic materials.
Rocket propellant is the reaction mass of a rocket. This reaction mass is ejected at the highest achievable velocity from a rocket engine to produce thrust. The energy required can either come from the propellants themselves, as with a chemical rocket, or from an external source, as with ion engines.
Barium perchlorate is a powerful oxidizing agent, with the formula Ba(ClO4)2. It is used in the pyrotechnic industry.
Perchloratoborate is an anion of the form [B(ClO4)4]−. It can form partly stable solid salts with heavy alkali metals. They are more stable than nitratoborate salts. K[B(ClO4)4] decomposes at 35 °C, Rb[B(ClO4)4] is stable to 50 °C, and Cs[B(ClO4)4] can exist up to 80 °C.
Hydronium perchlorate is an inorganic chemical compound with the chemical formula [H3O]ClO4. It is an unusual salt due to it being a solid and stable hydronium salt. It consists of hydronium cations [H3O]+ and perchlorate anions ClO−4.
Lead(II) perchlorate is a chemical compound with the formula Pb(ClO4)2·xH2O, where is x is 0,1, or 3. It is an extremely hygroscopic white solid that is very soluble in water.
Nitrosyl perchlorate is the inorganic compound with the formula NO(ClO4). A hygroscopic white solid, it is the salt of the nitrosonium cation with the perchlorate anion. It is an oxidant and strong electrophile, but has fallen out of use with the availability of the closely related salt nitrosonium tetrafluoroborate NO(BF4).