CAS Number: 12125-02-9
Linear Formula: NH4Cl
Molecular Weight: 53.49
IUPAC Name: Ammonium chloride
Other Names: Sal ammoniac, Salmiac, Nushadir salt, Sal armagnac, Salt armoniack
Ammonium chloride, an inorganic compound with the formula NH4Cl, is a white crystalline salt, highly soluble in water. Solutions of ammonium chloride are mildly acidic. Sal ammoniac is a name of the natural, mineralogical form of ammonium chloride. 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 flavouring agent in some types of liquorice. It is the product from the reaction of hydrochloric acid and ammonia.
The main application of ammonium chloride is as a nitrogen source in fertilizers (corresponding to 90% of the world production of ammonium chloride), e.g. chloroammonium phosphate. The main crops are rice and wheat in Asia. Ammonium chloride was used in pyrotechnics in the 18th century but was superseded by safer and less hygroscopic chemicals. Its purpose was to provide a chlorine donor to enhance the green and blue colours from copper ions in the flame. It had a secondary use to provide white smoke but its ready double decomposition reaction with potassium chlorate producing the highly unstable ammonium chlorate made its use very suspect.
