Sorbitol Hexanitrate

[2,4,6-TNP]

Sorbitol Hexanitrate or SX as I prefer:

SX forms white crystals with a melting point of 55 Celsius.
SX is very soluble in 95% ethanol, but insoluble in water.
SX is a very stable high explosive, unlike its brother Man-
nitol Hexanitrate. SX is not very flammable, but may flash
on ignition. It has a molecular weight of 452.154 compared
to mannitol hexanitrate's 452.157. SX is only slightly toxic.
SX has been used in alloys with TNT and other low melters,
for filling shells and bombs, it can also be mixed with nitro-
glycerine and nitrostarch in the manufacture of smokeless
powders. SX like most high explosives can probably be used
in rocket propellants as a smoke and flash reducing agent.
As for the VoD I don't have any hard numbers, but I doubt
it would be a meter less than Mannitol Hexanitrate and the
book I will be taking the following synthesis from says it's VoD
is similar to PETN.

A note on sorbitol and mannitol: Sorbitol can easily be bought for
under $4.00 per pound U.S. it can also be manufactured using simple methods. Mannitol production is almost parallel to the Sorbitol
production and in fact, it can be a co-product along with Sorbitol.
While sorbitol production is followed from starch, Mannitol can be produced using sugar as base material. Reduction of the d-Mannose with Sodium borohydride or electrolysis leads to d-Mannitol in good yield.
Reduction of fructose leads to Sorbitol and D-Mannitol in equal parts. Sucrose, on reduction under hydrolysing conditions, also yields the same products in the ratio of three parts of Sorbitol to one of D-Mannitol.
Commercially, D-Mannitol is obtained by the reduction of invert sugar.

Anyway the following procedure is taken from the Preparatory Manual of Explosives written by Jared B. Ledgard pages 240-241. It is the only procedure for the production of Sorbitol Hexanitrate that I am aware of.
After searching the forum and the web I am not satisfied with the insignificant amount of information about SX. It is not even on the ATF's explosives list while mannitol Hexanitrate is. The book I'm reading from says
for related information see serial No. 310,926, March 18th, 1930, by E.I. Dupont de Nemours & Company, to Rank H. Bergeim, Leonia, NJ.

Sorbitol Hexanitrate Synthesis:

Materials:

104 grams of 99% nitric acid
136 grams 98% sulfuric acid
50 grams Sorbitol
1600 milliliters of 95% Ethanol
200 milliliters of 10% sodium carbonate solution

Procedure:
Prepare a nitrating acid mixture by adding 104 grams
of 99% nitric acid into a suitable flask, and then add 136
grams of 98% sulfuric acid. Then place this nitrating acid
into a cold water bath. Then gradually add 50 grams Sor-
bitol over a period sufficient as to keep the reaction mixt-
ures temperature below 50 Celsius. Durring the addition,
rapidly stir the reaction mixture. Note: Keep the temperature
above 10 Celsius to prevent the nitrated sorbitol from
becomming thick and gummy. After the addition, rapidly stir
for about 30 minutes, and thereafter, stop the stirring and
allow the reaction mixture to stand for 20 minutes. Afterwards,
decant the upper liquid layer, and then place in a clean beaker.
After wich mix with several hundred milliliters of warm water,
and stir for ten minutes. Then decant the upper liquid layer, and
place it in a clean beaker. After wich, mix with 200 milliliters of
10% sodium bicarbonate solution, and stir for ten minutes. Then
remove the bottom liquid layer. Note: the product will be the
upper layer if sulfuric acid is present. Then mix and dissolve
the liquid product in 800 milliliters 95% ethanol. Afterwards,
filter the solution to remove any potential insoluble materials.
Then add 1600 milliliters of warm water to the ethanol solution.
The addition of the water will cause the product to precipitate.
Allow the mixture to stand 20-30 minutes to allow the product
to fully seperate. Then, filter off the precipitated product, then
vacuum dry or air dry the product. Purification is then accomplished
by dessolving this dry product into 800 milliliters of fresh 95% ethanol.
Followed then by recrystallization. After recrystallization, wash
the product with 200 milliliters ofwarm water then vacuum dry or
air dry the product.
Note: Instead of dessolving the liquid product into 800 milliliters
of 95% ethanol (as discussed after the 10% sodium bicarbonate
washing), it can be washed with cold water several times, and
then dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. Followed by filtration
to form a liquid explosive mixture containing predominately
hexanitrate, and lower nitrates of sorbitol. This liquid explosive
can be used in conjunction with nitrocellulose or other similar
explosives for making smokeless powders and other propellant
compositions.

Well anyway that is the procedure. I guess you can have either a liquid or solid form of SX.

Please, does any one know anything else about this
explosive: VoD, sensitivity in both it's solid and liquid form.
Any other information at all would be helpful!

Thanks

[Maniak]

Hi,
have you ever tried this synth.? I'm starting to be interested in nitrosugars, because I can't find some nice energetic plasticizer and I want to try liquid SX with NC. The problem is I'm not sure about stability of SX, mainly in a liquid form. I've heard only about nitromannite and it's difficult stabilisation and visible decomposition after a few months storage.
In addition, I'm worry about crystalization of HNS in the liquid mixture, which could decrease final plasticity :mad:

[2,4,6-TNP]

Well that's no problem! Theoretically the very best
plastic explosive would be Sorbitol Hexanitrate, by
simply mixing the solid SX with the liquid SX; they would
compliment each other. No, I have not used this
method before to make SX, but I will as soon as I have
what I need.

[The_Rsert]

Tip: You can make SX with lower concentrated <70% nitric acid with the "Powerlabs" method when using sorbitol instead of mannitol: http://www.powerlabs.org/chemlabs/nmannitol.htm
But that's more dangerous and the yields are lower :(

[2,4,6-TNP]

I don't see any reason why we can't use a nitrate salt
such as Sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and Ammonium nitrate
in making sorbitol hexanitrate, as the nitrating agent.
I will be using sodium nitrate instead of 99% nitric,
but as a result of the sodium nitrate and sulfuric acid mixing
90-99% nitric acid will be formed in solution with the sulfuric
acid. In my experience when ever sulfuric acid is used in
manufacture of an explosive a nitrate salt can be substituted
for nitric acid. I have found that sodium nitrate is the cheapest
and most economical; giving the highest yields. Ammonium nitrate
is easier to stir if you are using your hands. In some cases it can
be dangerous to use sulfuric acid to manufacture certain explosives
because they tend to decompose in it. In such casses nitric acid alone
should be used. Example: Dinitroxydiethylnitramine.

[The_Rsert]

For making SX by the nitrate salt way:
1.) Add 21g potassium nitrate(or 19g AN) to 14 mL 96% H2SO4, once all the PN(AN) has dissolved
2.)Cool the solution to under 0°C.
3.)Add 2g sorbitol in small ammounts. Keep the temparature between -5°C and +5°C.
4.)Add 12mL 96% H2SO4. Keep the temparature between -5°C and +5°C.
5.) Add min. 600ml water.
6.) Neutralize it with soda solution.
7.)Filter, wash with destilled water and dry.
8.)Dissolve the SX in the min. of warm ethanol, filter the solution an add the double volume of destilled water.
9.)Then filter and dry again
This is just an example.
Of course you can try this in an much bigger scale.

[Maniak]

I don't like plasticks like liquid-solid mixture. There are problems with migration and also increased danger (like with Ng). I meant gelled SX/NC with some HE (probably RDX). There may also be some problems with mixing of sharp crystals (RDX) and quite sensitive liquid...

[2,4,6-TNP]

Thanks Rsert for the nitrate salt version!

Has any one here found any websites or patents with more info on SX?
Especially Velocity of Detonation.

I have been thinking since solid SX is appearently very stable, what if a mixture of sorbitol and mannitol were nitrated at the same time?
The resulting mixture would probably be stable with a reletivly
low melting point, also it would be very cap sensitive.

I wish Rosco Bodine and Megalomania would give there $0.02 worth on SX.
I know Rosco has done a lot of research on sugar alcohols and similar
substances.

I'm thinking if my experiments with SX prove it to be a powerful HE
I would like to devise a homemade machine designed specifically for
the manufacture of mannitol and sorbitol, as the precursers are extremely cheap compared to others for other explosives.

[Rosco Bodine]

US1751438 is the Du Pont patent that relates to sorbitol hexanitrate .
Perhaps SHN would be a more conventional acronym .

GB275228 describes conitration of sorbitol with ethylene glycol
or with glycerin to produce low freezing liquid explosives .

[mongo blongo]

Don't know if you have them in other countrys other than UK but sugar free Polo mints are mostly sorbitol.

[SidBoggle]

Really?
Finding these polyols in the UK is not easy. In fact, finding almost anything in the UK is not easy, but I digress...

I have searched for Sorbitol, Mannitol and Erythritol but to no avail. I could possibly get it shipped form the US but the shipping would probably cost more then the damn product! Has no one found an OTC source for any of these polyols here in dear ol' Blighty?

I am guessing that even though these polos might be mostly Sorbitol there couls stil lbe other impurities present...there must be somewhere in the UK that sells food-grade polyols / sugar substitutes. Anyone??

Cheers


Sid.

[kingspaz]

Sugar free polos >99% sorbitol.

[mongo blongo]

Are you sure they are 99%? I would have thought it would be something like 97%. Mint oils should be around 1% and sodium sterate (used to get proper blending) around 2% (just a guess).
If you want you can remove the oils and sterate by dissolving in water to make a super-saturated solution, the sterate and oils float to the top. I can't get it back to the dry form without burning it though (anti solvents don't work, just forms 2 layers).Any ideas?

Polo mints do work for SHN using NaNO3 but the yield wasn't as good as expected. The polos must be in a fine powder form or it would take days to dissolve. Even in powder form you have to heat it to 50 deg c to make it dissolve quicker (be careful doing this, a runaway might occur. In fact I don't recommend this for anyone without the experience to spot a runaway from a mile off).
I didn't get enough to have a proper go at extracting pure SHN from the lower nitrates and I haven't really got time to get enough. I can say though that it will dissolve in acetone,ethanol and IPA.

One thing I am confused about, is the melting point of the pure SHN 55 deg c or is that just for the mix of nitrates? If the pure SHN is castable then it would awesome for base charges in dets amongst other things!

[matweyy]

Is it possible to use acetone instead of ethanol, because ethanol is quite expensive in my town?

[mongo blongo]

Read my last post again dude. :)

[nbk2000]

Yet more stuff from PMOE (Preparatory Manual of Explosives). :)

[Exothermic]

I recently preformed the synthesis of sorbitol hexanitrate.

Instead of using powdered sorbitol, I used a liquid form I found on the internet. Using the liquid cuts back on synthesis time, as you do not have to wait for the sorbitol to dissolve. Instead, once it is added you can straight away cool down the solution and add the sulphuric acid.

Just to warn other's about the final product. Once crystallised the product is ok and is easy to wash off, if you do get any on your hands.
However, the liquid before crystallisation is extremely sticky and will take boiling water to remove. Washing with cold water has the opposite effect and causes the product to set and become harder to remove.

[Cindor]

Your Sorbitol is in liquid form because it's dissolved in water, this means:

*The water will decrease your's acid concentration.
*Adding water to acid heats the mixture, and you don't want that.

[Exothermic]

I had already thought that the sorbitol may be dissolved in water.

However, after contacting the supplier about the product they are insisting that it is 100% sorbitol, but I expect in fact it’s just under rounding in at about 98%.

Concerning heat generation from the sorbitol in liquid form.
Before adding the sorbitol to the nitric acid the acids temperature was about 15 degrees Celsius. After addition of the sorbitol it rose to about 17 degrees Celsius and both were then cooled down to 5 degree's.

The method I used for the synthesis was from 'Mr Cools' website; where the sorbitol and nitric acid are mixed before the addition of sulphuric acid.
So there is limited risk of a runaway at that stage.

[Dr. M]

I don't see any reason why we can't use a nitrate salt
such as Sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and Ammonium nitrate
in making sorbitol hexanitrate, as the nitrating agent.
I will be using sodium nitrate instead of 99% nitric,
but as a result of the sodium nitrate and sulfuric acid mixing
90-99% nitric acid will be formed in solution with the sulfuric
acid. In my experience when ever sulfuric acid is used in
manufacture of an explosive a nitrate salt can be substituted
for nitric acid.

TNP -

the reason for this (as I understand it) is that the energetics of direct nitration are unfavorable in many cases (such as hexose nitrosugars or nitroaromatics like TNT). What is actually happening in an example case such as TNT is that the sulfation occurs (via the sulfuric acid) first; the nitration energetics are THEN suitable for a substitution of the sulfate with a nitrate moiety.

If one mixes roughly stoichiometric amounts of XNO3 with H2SO4, one will have HNO3 and XHSO4 once the reaction goes to completion. Thus, one's now-monoprotonated sulfating agent is no longer strong enough to sulfate the positions as a prerequisite for nitration.

As The_Rsert has posted above, adding a fresh aliquot of sulfating agent (i.e. more fresh H2SO4) allows sulfation to take place, and the subsequent nitration can then proceed.

In fact, I would suggest that one could just skip the "middleman" and calculate an appropriately suprastoichiometric mixture of H2SO4 and XNO3 such that, once HNO3 synthesis is driven to steady-state conditions, there would remain a slight stoichiometric excess of H2SO4 to allow relatively efficient prerequisite sulfation. Furthermore, just mulling this about in my head, I wonder if this sort of stoichiometric ratio wouldn't improve the net amount of HNO3 produced from the nitrate salt - thus likely improving (however slightly it may be) the final net yield? The bottom line, in my mind, is that using a nitrate salt for this type of nitration SHOULD be alright so long as one maintains enough unreacted sulfating agent that the sulfation step can take place adequately.

Apologies if this is out of line for a newbie.

[Man Down Under]

Does replying to a three year old post count as necromancy (http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/warriorshtm/necromancer.htm)?

[Dr. M]

Apologies for that as well... I noticed the poster above me was Aug/07, and while I back-read the thread, I didn't fully back-read the dates I'm afraid.

[Masonjar Chemist]

Personaly, with a post a strong as his, I dont feel that it should anymore than your's or mine since we are OT.

Any word yet on a VoD? SHN does not seem to be nearly as popular ETN, is there any particular reason that I missed?

[Man Down Under]

Nothing wrong with the post contents, except for the addressing it directly to someone who hasn't been around for years, hence Necromancy.

[Charles Owlen Picket]

Any word yet on a VoD? SHN does not seem to be nearly as popular ETN, is there any particular reason that I missed?

SHN is a difficult nitration. It turns to fluid during the process and is difficult to work with. ETN is a solid through out the process and is easier to refine and neutralize. However the final product appears to be very stable and consistent; yielding one uniform crystal shape.

Both products were bought up by DuPont. SHN has an estimated VoD @5800+ while ETN is deeply within the 7000mps range. A man named Bergeim did some work with Sorbitol during the late 1920's. Both products re-crystallize via ethanol. [But only ETN can utilize ethanol AND methanol which makes it easier for industrial prep...] Although sorbitol has a lower VoD, it is not something that should be dismissed for that reason alone. The fact that it does become fluid material during nitration makes for a more uniform process during any scale-up of the synthesis (less hot spots). It possibly would be easier to mfg and at the time in history, cost less. Had less sensitivity to impact initiation than MHN (and CERTAINLY to ETN!). Because there is one crystal shape from a proper synth, a microscopic evaluation could determine success.

[Ethyl]

Sorry to bring up a old thread and I know that this is a little OT but I didn't want to start a new thread about it. There is a thread that would be more appropriate for this but it is very old.

Fructose trinitrate
Fructosan trinitrate a, C6H7O2(ONO2)3, is produced by the
action of mixed acid at 0-15° on d-fructose or on laevulosan,75
colorless, quickly effluorescing needles from alcohol, which melt
at 139-140° and decompose at about 145°. It is readily soluble in
methyl and ethyl alcohol, acetic acid, and acetone, and insoluble
in water. It is relatively stable at 50°. It reduces hot Fehling's
solution. The alcoholic mother liquors from the a-form yield
fructosan trinitrate /3, crusts of white crystals which melt at
48-52° and decompose at 135°. The material decomposes slowly
at 50°. It reduces Fehling's solution rapidly on warming.

That was all I could find about it (copied from COPAE).

Does anyone have any more information about it (sensitivity, VOD)?

I tried to make it. To 80 ml of H2SO4 I added at once 88 g of ammonium nitrate. After it cooled to around 17 C I started to slowly add 13 g of fructose with stirring. After I added all the fructose I stirred the mix for around 10 min and then drowned it. Nothing precipitated. Does anyone know why?

[Ethyl]

Sorry for the double post.

This time I tried to make SHN. I mixed 100 ml of H2SO4 with 66 g of AN. After it cooled down to around 20 C I started to slowly add 23 g of sorbitol. After I added it all I waited for around 30-45 min. A oil separated above the acids (I believe SHN). Then I added water to the mix. The SHN sank. Then I decanted the above layer of water, added some fresh water and added powdered sodium hydrogen carbonate to neutralize the aced. After the fizzing stopped the oil disappeared!!

EDIT:
I again tried to make SHN with the same method. This time I didn't neutralize the mixture (only diluted it with water) and I will let it stand some hours to see if the oil will disappear or perhaps better separate from water.

I really need to get reagent grade chemicals. I have to order H2SO4 and HNO3 (only 67 % but better than nothing) from a chem. company and the chemicals are expensive (22 dollars for a liter of H2SO4 and 30 dollars for a liter of HNO3 plus shipping charges around 8-10 dollars) so I wanted to see if I could use boiled battery acid and ammonium nitrate (which contains a little calcium nitrate and around 5% magnesium nitrate).

[ETCS (Ret)]

Rather than trying Fructose or Sorbitol with your acid mix, try Cornstarch.

If the Starch product completely dissolves in your acid mix (assuming at least 93% Sulfuric before adding the Nitrate) then it is too strongly Nitric and needs additional Sulfuric.

Tenney L. Davis didn't prescribe any particular mixed acid for the sugar nitrations, but I've found the 60% Sulfuric and 40% Nitric to be effective for Sucrose and Starch.

For my high concentration Nitric, I prefer mixing Calcium Nitrate and Sulfuric Acid and letting the resultant Calcium Sulfate settle to the bottom of the bottle for at least a week, then decanting the Fuming Nitric into a second bottle.

There are many local hardware stores which carry sufficiently pure Sulfuric Acid as a drain cleaner. Reagent Grade isn't necessary for most mundane procedures.

[Ethyl]

Tenney L. Davis didn't prescribe any particular mixed acid for the sugar nitrations, but I've found the 60% Sulfuric and 40% Nitric to be effective for Sucrose and Starch.


40% of azeotropic nitric acid or 90%+ nitric acid?

[ETCS (Ret)]

That would be 90% or better of the home made fuming variety as described.

Solution Grade Calcium Nitrate is ever so cheap and very, very useful!

[Bert]

Agricultural Calcium nitrate would generally have water of crystallization- Which would end up in the nitric acid, would it not? Or does the Calcium sulfate bind up enough to dehydrate the nitric acid?

How much of the water could be driven off by heating the nitrate before adding it to the sulfuric acid, and what temperature would be needed?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_nitrate

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_sulfate

(edit) On searching, I have found temperatures from 160 to 250 C. listed for removing water of crystallization of Calcium nitrate
along with melting points of 45 C. for the hydrated material!
The information that the agricultural product contains about 10% ammonium nitrate is a bit worrisome at the higher temperatures
as it would decompose around 210 C.

Anyone got a better reference or experience with dehydrating this? I've never used Calcium nitrate for anything... Not a popular material in commercial pyrotechnics.

[ETCS (Ret)]

The Solution Grade Calcium Nitrate is anhydrous prills without any additives which would impede its going into solution. It must be stored in well sealed, airtight containers, in the same fashion that anhydrous Ammonium Nitrate is kept.

It is highly deliquescent which explains why it isn't commonly used in pyrotechnic compositions; but where it is used it produces a very dense "smoke" of Calcium reaction product.

My Sulfuric Acid is the cheap 93% commercial grade usually sold in gallon quantities. As it reacts with the Calcium Nitrate to form Nitric Acid and precipitated Calcium Sulfate, the precipitated salt does assume a partially crystalline form. Apparently it does remove some of the small amount of water present in the Sulfuric.

Once the Calcium Sulfate settles out to the bottom of the container, the Nitric Acid is very clear and only slightly off white. When exposed to the air it fumes nicely.

If you haven't tried it yet, acquire a small quantity and give it a whirl. You'll definitely be very pleasantly surprised.

[Billy Bones]

The resulting liquid will be mixture of nitric and sulfuric acid, not nitric acid alone.In other words,this is just a ordinary nitrating mixture, but clear from any sulfate precipitate.I tried this metod both with barium and lead nitrate.Strangely, I never think about using calcium nitrate.The results are very good and you can easily filter the mixture with glass wool and cut like a funnel glass bottle.

Sorry for my bad English, in fact I ”was banned for lack of proper grammar”, but after month my account was mysteriously recovered.Recently, I made a lot of tests with gelled nitric esters and now have some desire to share my observations.If mods find my English to rude for the forum, I’ll never post again!

[Bert]

Adding Calcium nitrate slightly in excess of the amount needed to convert all the sulfuric acid to calcium sulfate should come close to giving you pure nitric acid. I think. ETCS, is it good enough to make RDX? And what specific gravity have you measured for acid produced this way?

[ETCS (Ret)]

At the time I conducted this experimental process of making Nitric Acid with Calcium Nitrate, back in '93 & '94, I made a total of 1 liter of Nitric in four batches of 250 ml. each. As it fumed nicely with the characteristic "smell" of strong Nitric, I didn't attempt to determine its specific gravity. In fact, in those years I didn't have the capability to readily make the determination in my bare bones home lab. I was mainly curious to find out if the procedure would be successful.

Since I have an ample quantity of Calcium Nitrate remaining, and a small quantity of the Commercial Sulfuric still on hand, it would be possible to give it a go again. Or, if you desire to try the method and report your own results, that would be an even better evaluation, coming from another source.

The resultant Nitric worked extremely well in mixed acid nitrations of Sucrose, Corn Starch, Glycerin, Methanol, Ethanol and Cotton. Did experience slight "runaway" with the alcohols but the small quantities of product responded well to increased cooling with more ice and salt.

I was amazed at the quality of the final products, how well their performance conformed to the properties described by Tenney L. Davis; and as others have cautioned, the horrible headaches that result with even tiny exposure to the liquid Nitros.

Is it good enough to make RDX? Although I didn't specifically do that procedure, I expect that it would. As you'll discover if you pursue it; the resultant Nitric is very strong.

[Billy Bones]

Nitric acid start to distill around 83 °C.How did you manage to produce clear fuming nitric acid, just from the heat released upon mixing and without any further distillation.Even with lead\barium nitrate you need slightly heating to complete the reaction.As for the fumes, any nitrating mixture will fumes nicely too, when you expose it to the open air.

[ETCS (Ret)]

The heat of the reaction was minimal since it occurred over a period of several days.

When concentrated Sulfuric Acid is poured over a bottle of Calcium Nitrate Prills the liberation of Nitric Acid and precipitation of Calcium Sulfate is not instantaneous. Place the sealed bottle in a dark location and let it "work" for a week or two. After that amount of time all the Calcium Sulfate will have settled to the bottom and the Nitric Acid will be a clear, almost white, liquid above it, which is easily decanted into another bottle if desired.

Distillation is not necessary; however, the decanted Nitric Acid may be distilled if desired.

Yes, it is true that Nitric Acid produced in situ with strong Sulfuric Acid will fume as a testament to its strength.

I prefer not to use Lead or Barium Nitrate salts for this purpose for health reasons.

[Billy Bones]

Look dude, the things that I’m trying to explain to you are so basic, that I really lost desire for any further conversation. No hard feelings, just made this “nitric acid” again, than check the density and try to nitrate some hexamine \ HDN. I’ll be more than glad to see the results!

Lead and Barium Nitrate are ok, as long you don’t eat them. Besides, the produced upon mixing barium sulfate is perfectly safe.

[ETCS (Ret)]

Billy Bones,

May I, rather, encourage you and others to experiment with the method and report your findings?

Calcium Nitrate is very inexpensive; Sulfuric Acid is a commodity that we all possess; and the procedure is easily accomplished.

Your experiences would be far more valuable, and credible, than those of a single source.

My experiments those several years ago were very fruitful and I was delighted to discover that strong Nitric Acid could be so easily prepared.

Since then I've moved on to other areas of research in the realm of ElectroChemistry and Electrical Discharge.

[Billy Bones]

To try? But why, I already knew what will be the end result! Just for the records, even in the ordinary distillation calcium nitrate is the worst from the other three candidates (the sodium, potassium and ammonium nitrate).Too hard to get fully dry and you need slightly more sulfuric acid to reach some good yields. Even than the concentration is still lower, compared to the sodium and potassium nitrate. Don’t get me wrong. It would be nice if we can produce nitric acid in such a simple way, but unfortunately this is not possible!