Barium nitrate
Chemical compound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Barium nitrate is the inorganic compound of barium with the nitrate anion, having the chemical formula Ba(NO3)2. It, like most barium salts, is colorless, toxic, and water-soluble. It burns with a green flame and is an oxidizer; the compound is commonly used in pyrotechnics.[6]
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| Names | |
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| Other names
Barium dinitrate, barium salt | |
| Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol) |
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| ChEBI | |
| ChEMBL | |
| ChemSpider | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.030.006 |
| EC Number |
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PubChem CID |
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| RTECS number |
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| UNII | |
| UN number | 1446 |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) |
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| Properties | |
| Ba(NO3)2 | |
| Molar mass | 261.335 g·mol−1 |
| Appearance | white, lustrous crystals |
| Odor | odorless |
| Density | 3.24 g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 592 °C (1,098 °F; 865 K)[1] (decomposes) |
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| Solubility in acetone | slightly soluble[2] |
| Solubility in ethanol | slightly soluble[2] |
| −66.5×10−6 cm3/mol | |
Refractive index (nD) |
1.5659 |
| Structure | |
| cubic | |
| Thermochemistry | |
Heat capacity (C) |
151.4 J/(mol K) |
Std molar entropy (S⦵298) |
214 J/(mol K) |
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) |
-988 kJ/mol |
| Hazards | |
| GHS labelling:[1] | |
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| Danger | |
| H272, H301, H319, H332 | |
| P210, P220, P221, P261, P264, P270, P271, P280, P301+P310+P330, P304+P340+P312, P305+P351+P338, P337+P313, P370+P378, P405, P501 | |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | |
Threshold limit value (TLV) |
0.5 mg/m3[3] (TWA) |
| Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): | |
LD50 (median dose) |
50–300 mg/kg (rat, female, oral)[1] |
LDLo (lowest published) |
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| NIOSH (US health exposure limits):[5] | |
PEL (Permissible) |
0.5 mg/m3 (TWA) |
REL (Recommended) |
0.5 mg/m3 (TWA) |
IDLH (Immediate danger) |
50 mg/m3 |
| Related compounds | |
Other anions |
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Other cations |
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| Supplementary data page | |
| Barium nitrate (data page) | |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Manufacture, occurrence, and reactions
Barium nitrate is manufactured by two processes that start with the main source material for barium, the carbonate. The first involves dissolving barium carbonate in nitric acid, allowing any iron impurities to precipitate, then filtered, evaporated, and crystallized. The second requires combining barium sulfide with nitric acid.[6]
It occurs naturally as the very rare mineral nitrobarite.[7][8]
At elevated temperatures, barium nitrate decomposes to barium oxide:[citation needed]
- 2 Ba(NO3)2 → 2 BaO + 4 NO2 + O2
Applications
Barium nitrate is used in the production of BaO-containing materials. It is also used in the vacuum tube industry.[citation needed]
Military
Although no longer produced, Baratol is an explosive composed of barium nitrate, TNT and binder; the high density of barium nitrate results in baratol being quite dense as well. Barium nitrate mixed with aluminium powder is a sometimes-used formula for flash powder, and is highly explosive.[citation needed]
It is mixed with thermite to form Thermate-TH3, used in military thermite grenades. Barium nitrate was also a primary ingredient in the "SR 365" incendiary charge used by the British in the De Wilde incendiary ammunition with which they armed their interceptor fighters, such as the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire, during the Battle of Britain.[9]
Safety
Like all soluble barium compounds, barium nitrate is toxic by ingestion or inhalation.[3][1]
Solutions of sulfate salts such as Epsom salts or sodium sulfate may be given as first aid for barium poisoning, as they precipitate the barium as the insoluble (and non-toxic) barium sulfate.[citation needed]
Inhalation may also cause irritation to the respiratory tract and baritosis.
While skin or eye contact is less harmful than ingestion or inhalation, it can still result in irritation, itching, redness, and pain.[citation needed]