Chemistry:Barium nitrate

From HandWiki
Barium nitrate
barium nitrate
Names
Other names
Barium dinitrate, barium salt
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
EC Number
  • 233-020-5
RTECS number
  • CQ9625000
UNII
UN number 1446
Properties
Ba(NO
3
)
2
Molar mass 261.335 g·mol−1
Appearance white, lustrous crystals
Odor odorless
Density 3.24 g/cm3
Melting point 592 °C (1,098 °F; 865 K)[2] (decomposes)
  • 4.95 g/100mL (0 °C (32 °F; 273 K))
  • 10.5 g/100mL (25 °C (77 °F; 298 K))
  • 34.4 g/100mL (100 °C (212 °F; 373 K))
[citation needed]
Solubility in acetone slightly soluble[1]
Solubility in ethanol slightly soluble[1]
−66.5×10−6 cm3/mol
1.5659
Structure
cubic
Hazards
GHS pictograms GHS03: OxidizingGHS06: ToxicGHS07: Harmful
GHS Signal word Danger
H272, H301, H319, H332
P210, P220, P221, P261, P264, P270, P271, P280, P301+310+330Script error: No such module "Preview warning".Category:GHS errors, P304+340+312Script error: No such module "Preview warning".Category:GHS errors, P305+351+338, P337+313, P370+378, P405, P501
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
0.5 mg/m3[3] (TWA)
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
50–300 mg/kg (rat, female, oral)[2]
  • 79 mg/kg (rabbit, oral, as barium)
  • 421 mg/kg (dog, oral, as barium)[4]
NIOSH (US health exposure limits):Template:Chembox NIOSH (set)/formatPocketGuideLink
PEL (Permissible)
0.5 mg/m3 (TWA)
REL (Recommended)
0.5 mg/m3 (TWA)
IDLH (Immediate danger)
50 mg/m3
Related compounds
Other anions
Other cations
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
☒N verify (what is checkY☒N ?)
Infobox references

Barium nitrate is the inorganic compound of barium with the nitrate anion, having the chemical formula Ba(NO
3
)
2
. It, like most barium salts, is colorless, toxic, and water-soluble. It burns with a green flame and is an oxidizer; the compound is commonly used in pyrotechnics.[5]

Manufacture, occurrence, and reactions

Barium nitrate is manufactured by two processes that start with the main source material for barium, the carbonate. The first involves dissolving barium carbonate in nitric acid, allowing any iron impurities to precipitate, then filtered, evaporated, and crystallized. The second requires combining barium sulfide with nitric acid.[5]

It occurs naturally as the very rare mineral nitrobarite.[6][7]

At elevated temperatures, barium nitrate decomposes to barium oxide:[citation needed]

2 Ba(NO
3
)
2
→ 2 BaO + 4 NO
2
+ O
2

Applications

Barium nitrate is used in the production of BaO-containing materials. It is also used in the vacuum tube industry.[citation needed]

Military

Although no longer produced, Baratol is an explosive composed of barium nitrate, TNT and binder; the high density of barium nitrate results in baratol being quite dense as well. Barium nitrate mixed with aluminium powder is a sometimes-used formula for flash powder, and is highly explosive.[citation needed]

It is mixed with thermite to form Thermate-TH3, used in military thermite grenades. Barium nitrate was also a primary ingredient in the "SR 365" incendiary charge used by the British in the De Wilde incendiary ammunition with which they armed their interceptor fighters, such as the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire, during the Battle of Britain.[8]

Safety

Like all soluble barium compounds, barium nitrate is toxic by ingestion or inhalation.[3][2]

Solutions of sulfate salts such as Epsom salts or sodium sulfate may be given as first aid for barium poisoning, as they precipitate the barium as the insoluble (and non-toxic) barium sulfate.[citation needed]

Inhalation may also cause irritation to the respiratory tract and baritosis.

While skin or eye contact is less harmful than ingestion or inhalation, it can still result in irritation, itching, redness, and pain.[citation needed]


References

  1. 1.0 1.1 John Rumble (June 18, 2018) (in English). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (99th ed.). CRC Press. pp. 4–41. ISBN 978-1138561632. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Sigma-Aldrich Co., Barium Nitrate. Retrieved on 1 January 2026.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Barium Nitrate (White Crystalline Powder/Certified ACS), Fisher Chemical 500 g | Fisher Scientific" (in en). ThermoFisher Scientific. 18 December 2025. https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/barium-nitrate-white-crystalline-powder-certified-acs-fisher-chemical/B53500. 
  4. "Barium (soluble compounds, as Ba)". Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health Concentrations (IDLH). National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/idlh/7440393.html. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 Kresse, Robert; Baudis, Ulrich; Jäger, Paul; Riechers, H. Hermann; Wagner, Heinz; Winkler, Jocher; Wolf, Hans Uwe. "Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry". Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. doi:10.1002/14356007.a03_325.pub2. 
  6. "Nitrobarite". Mindat. http://www.mindat.org/min-2918.html. 
  7. "List of Minerals". 21 March 2011. https://www.ima-mineralogy.org/Minlist.htm. 
  8. Williams, Anthony G; Emmanuel Gustin (2004). "THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN: ARMAMENT OF THE COMPETING FIGHTERS". Flying Guns: World War 2. Crowood Press. http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/BoB.htm. "The B. Mk VI 'De Wilde' incendiary (named after the original Belgian inventor but in fact completely redesigned by Major Dixon), which contained 0.5 grams of SR 365 (a composition including barium nitrate which ignited on impact with the target) was twice as effective as these, scoring one in five." 
Salts and covalent derivatives of the nitrate ion