Definition and Areas of Use:
Nitric acid is a strong inorganic acid, commonly known as nitrate. Since its salts are known as nitrate, it is also known as nitric acid. The 100% nitric acid, which is shown with the formula HNO3, is called absolute nitric acid, while the 60-66% and commercially available form is called ordinary nitric acid, or as it is called among the public, vitriol. Nitric acid, which is smokeless up to 69%, becomes smoky as this density increases and starts to fog even in the open air. In ancient times, nitric acid, which was obtained from saltpeter, began to be obtained in other ways due to its ubiquity and the use of the acid in explosives. This led to the emergence of a fairly large nitrogen industry in this industry.
Colorless, pure nitrate acid boils at 86 degrees. Since it is an unstable compound, it slowly turns into nitrogen oxides at room temperature. Ordinary nitric acid, on the other hand, is usually brown in color because it contains nitrogen dioxide. Nitric acid, one of the strongest acids, is used as a strong oxidizing agent: With this effect, it forms metals, salts and free hydrogen. It forms oxides with some metals and non-metals. When combined with chloridric acid, it becomes the only mixture that dissolves gold.
Synthetically produced with the establishment of the nitrogen industry, nitric acid can be obtained in different ways today. In some countries, if the ammonia industry is developed, ammonia is used in production. While ammonia is passed through the air in gas form over catalysts, ammonia nitrogen combined with oxygen in the air forms nitrogen oxide. Nitrogen oxide is converted into nitric acid with oxygen and water.
In Norway, since nitric acid is a mixture of air, nitrogen and oxygen and electrical energy is quite cheap in this country, these gases are combined with electrical energy. This method is called the Norwegian method or the Haber Ostwald method. In this method, air is passed through the high-temperature area created by the electric arc using a suitable current. At this stage, nitrogen and oxygen combine and become nitrogen oxide. In the cold area, oxygen and water combine again and form nitric acid.