**Notes** > **Science** > **Chemistry** > **Compounds** > **Inorganic** > **Nitrogen** > **Ammonium Nitrate**    # About TBC. # Synthesis ## From Nitrate Salts ### Ingredients - 138 g [[Sodium Bisulfate]] (*found with pool chemicals, used to lower pH*) - 1 mole equivalent of a nitrate salt. Any of the following: - 85 g [[Sodium Nitrate]] (*common food preservative*) - 101 g [[Potassium Nitrate]] (*saltpeter*) - 118 g [[Calcium Nitrate]] (*tetrahydrate*) - [[Ammonia]] (*common household cleane*r) - [[Methanol]] (*optional, which may be found as HEET fuel treatment*) ### Recipe 1. Dissolve the [[Sodium Bisulfate]] in the minimum amount of water (about 300 ml). 2. Dissolve your nitrate salt in the minimum amount of water (amount depends on the salt). 3. Mix the two solutions. 4. Next you want to neutralise the solution, which is quite acidic. Stir in [[Ammonia]] until the pH of the mixture is 7 or higher. Use a pH meter (or pH paper). Reacting [[Ammonia]], [[Sodium Bisulfate]], and nitrates will give you [[Sodium Sulfate]] and Ammonium Nitrate. 5. [[Sodium Sulfate]] and Ammonium Nitrate have different solubilities in water, so boil the solution to get the [[Sodium Sulfate]] to crystallise. Remove the liquid from heat when crystals of [[Sodium Sulfate]] form in the bottom of the pan. 6. Chill the solution in the freezer to get as much of the [[Sodium Sulfate]] as possible to drop out of the solution. 7. Run the solution through a filter (coffee filter or paper towels) to separate the solid [[Sodium Sulfate]] from the Ammonium Nitrate solution. 8. Allow the Ammonium Nitrate solution to evaporate, which will give you Ammonium Nitrate, with some [[Sodium Sulfate]] impurity. This is 'good enough' for most chemistry projects. 10. If you want to further purify the Ammonium Nitrate, dissolve it in about 500 ml of [[Methanol]]. The Ammonium Nitrate is soluble in [[Methanol]], while the [[Sodium Sulfate]] is not. 11. Run the solution through a filter, which will give you [[Sodium Sulfate]] on the filter and a solution of Ammonium Nitrate. 12. Allow the [[Methanol]] to evaporate from the solution to obtain crystalline Ammonium Nitrate. ### Safety Information *The chemicals used in this project are smelly and corrosive, so this project should be performed under a fume hood or outdoors. As always, wear gloves, eye protection, and appropriate clothing. Some of the reagents and the final product are flammable or are oxidisers, so keep the chemicals away from open flames.* ### References - https://www.thoughtco.com/make-ammonium-nitrate-from-household-chemicals-3976064