Ammonium Chloride, NH4Cl, is an inorganic, mildly acidic, white crystalline salt compound that is highly soluble in water. The mineral is commonly formed on burning coal dumps due to condensation of coal-derived gases. It is also found around some types of volcanic vents. It is used as a flavoring agent in licorice. Ammonium chloride is the product from the reaction of hydrochloric acid and ammonia.
Ammonium chloride is obtained as a by-product in different chemical processes, particularly from the Solvay process for production of sodium carbonate from sodium chloride, ammonia, carbon dioxide and water.
It is mostly used for fertilizer in rice cultivation. However, the odorless salt has many other applications that include use in the manufacture of personal cleansing products, pyrotechnics, a component in metalwork, medicine, as a flavoring agent in the food industry, and as electrolyte in zinc-carbon batteries.
Applications
Ammonium Chloride is mainly used as a nitrogen source in fertilizers, mostly for rice and wheat crops in Asia. It is also an ingredient in fireworks, safety matches and contact explosives.
Ammonium chloride is used as a flux in preparing metals to be tin coated, galvanized, or soldered. It is an expectorant in cough medicine and as a systemic acidifying agent in the treatment of severe metabolic alkalosis.
In the food industry, ammonium chloride is used as a food additive and yeast nutrient in the making of bread. It is a feed supplement for cattle and an ingredient in nutritive media for yeasts and many microorganisms.
Ammonium chloride can be found in shampoo, hair color and bleach, body wash and cleanser, facial cleanser, conditioner, hand dishwashing detergent, as well as in bath oils and salts.
An important use of ammonium chloride is as electrolyte in dry cell batteries where it is used because it is an ionic compound.
Ammonium chloride is also used in etching in the manufacture of printed circuits, as a fire extinguisher, an explosive in mineral winning and as a curing agent in formaldehyde-based adhesives.
