The use of nitrogen dioxide for the oxidation of ammonium nitrate

Abstract

This study was commissioned by BNFL PLC to investigate the possibility of destroying ammonium nitrate by reduction with nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The use of NO2 as a reductant was first described in 1985, however, no further investigation or optimisation of the technique has been published since that time. The results of investigations into six key aspects of this reaction are presented. It is reported that the difibsion of NO2 through a solution of animonium nitrate in nitric acid is successful in the decomposition of the ammonium ion (NH:). The rate of reaction increases with increasing temperature and the activation energy of the reaction has been calculated as 61.8 Id moP. The reaction is first order with respect to the concentration
of NH4'and increasing the concentration of nitric acid up to a concentration of 1 molar enhances the rate of reaction. The final part of the study reports on the effect the following heterogeneous catalysts, 5% RWAI203, Ir/A1203 and PtJAI203.