[kno3] Calcium Nitrate Questions

[Anthony Jernigan]

Ian,
 
Either grade will work OK. 
 
You may have to adjust the amount of potassium carbonate or potassium hydroxide you start with, depending on the actual assay of the CaNO3.
 
You will definitely need to dry a sample of whatever form of calcium nitrate you use to determine the actual weight of the reactant present, since the material will contain not only water of hydration, but also moisture from the atmosphere. Aftyer drying the sample and factoring in the % moisture, use the Guaranteed Nitrate Analysis (usually printed on a card bound to the bag, or on the assay label) to determine the amount of NO[sub3] in your starting sample. Note that the actual assay may be a little different than the nominal 15.5 (or 12.8) percent N designated on the label.
 
If the product cantains ammonium nitrate, the ammonium carbonate or ammonium hydroxide produced when you react the material can be removed by boiling the solution until the ammonia odor is gone.
 
Then proceed with the purifucation steps to remove the calcium carbonate (or whatever) as usual.
 
Good luck.



From: CTo: kno3 at kclo3.comDate: Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:48:11 +0000Subject: [kno3] Calcium Nitrate Questions
I am looking at experimenting with fertilizer grade calcium nitrate to make nitric acid and possibly other nitrates. This seems simple enough but I have just discovered that there are two different types of calcium nitrate. 
 
The one type is designated 15.5-0-0 + 19% calcium. This is actually a double salt of calcium nitrate and ammonium nitrate. It has the formula: 5Ca (NO3)2.NH4NO3.10H2O. (For the chemistry purists this is 5Ca (NO[sub3])[sub2].NH[sub4]NO[sub3].10H[sub2]O).
 
The other type is designated 12.8-0-0 + 18.3% calcium. This has the formula Ca (NO3)2.4H2O 
(Ca(NO[sub3])[sub2].4H[sub2]O). 
 
The double salt of calcium nitrate and ammonium nitrate appears to be more popular and more readily available. What problems/issues are there in using this instead of the other type (just calcium nitrate)?
 
Regards,
 
Ian von Maltitz
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