It is a salt, white or transparent crystals that are well soluble in water, insoluble in acetone, ethanol and ether.
Density 1.769 g/cm³. Melting point - 235-280° C, decomposition point - 218° C.
Chemical formula: (NH4)2SO4.
Application of ammonium sulfate.
Agriculture.
Ammonium sulfate is one of the nitrogen-sulfur mineral fertilizers widely used in agriculture, it contains 21% nitrogen in ammonium form and 24% sulfur. Its hygroscopicity is weak, therefore, during long-term storage, it does not stick and retains its fluidity. Provides a significant increase in the yield of tea, rye,
potatoes, cotton, rice, oats, sugar beets. It successfully competes with the best nitrogen
fertilizers. Ammonium sulfate, thanks to the ammonium form of nitrogen, compatible with sulfur, prevents the accumulation of nitrates by 3 times, reduces the content of radionuclides in plants by 2 times. It can be used in polluted territories.
It is used for all agricultural crops (from potatoes to citrus) on chernozems and serozems. The fertilizer has a valuable quality - low migration ability, as the ammonium cation is actively absorbed by the soil and this prevents it from being washed away. Therefore, ammonium sulfate is recommended to be applied on light soils, during irrigation, i.e. where there is a potential danger of loss of fertilizer nitrogen due to migratory phenomena. Ammonium nitrogen of ammonium sulfate is absorbed by plants. Sulfur is necessary for the nutrition of all cultures, as it is a part of some essential amino acids synthesized by plants.
(//tractor-service.com)
In biochemistry, precipitation with ammonium sulfate is a common method of protein purification.
In the food industry, it is registered as a food additive emulsifier E517.
Ammonium sulfate is used as a flame retardant in fire extinguishing agents.
It is used in the technology of chlorination of water with ammonization, it is introduced into the treated water a few seconds before chlorine, forms chloramines with chlorine - binding free chlorine, thanks to which the formation of organochlorine harmful to the human body is significantly reduced, chlorine consumption is reduced, corrosion of water pipes is reduced.
In the mining industry, ammonium sulfate is introduced into the composition of the explosive as a gel-forming component during the preventive treatment of the mined space to reduce the flammability and eliminate the danger of spontaneous ignition.
Ammonium sulfate is also used for the production of:
-
herbicides;
- fodder for animals;
- leather goods;
- building insulation.