How to Make Aluminum Nitrate Nonahydrate

How to make aluminum nitrate nonhydrate, one of the chemicals needed to make glow in the dark powder.

In an upcoming video we'll need aluminum nitrate nonahydrate.
The chemical formula is Al(NO3)3.9H2O

Warning: These reactions must be performed outside or in a fumehood.

At first it might seem that simply mixing aluminum with nitric acid can be done. But interestingly enough, aluminum is immune to the effects of nitric acid. So in order to make aluminum nitrate a two step method is needed.

First the aluminum is dissolved in concentrated hydrochloric acid. This produces a solution of aluminum trichloride.

The aluminum trichloride is then reacted with an excess of nitric acid. This oxidizes the nitric acid to nitrosyl chloride gas that bubbles out of solution, leaving behind aluminum nitrate.

The solution is then evaporated to obtain aluminum nitrate nonahydrate.

In the winter I was able to dry it in air and get crystals. But in the summer the ambient humidity was too high so I had to use a desiccator bag. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJFfS_YbbYI

We'll be using aluminum nitrate nonahydrate to make glow in the dark powder in upcoming videos.

More information about this reaction can be found at: http://sites.google.com/site/nurdrage/chemistry-experiments/make-aluminum-nit...

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Aluminum
• nitrate
• nonahydrate
• chemistry
• science
• experiment
• glow
• in
• the
• dark
• powder
• nurd
• nerd
• rage
• nitric
• acid
• hydrochloric

[LolzICanFly]

Wouldn't it be easier simply to mix aluminum hydroxide with nitric acid and then let the solution evaporate?

[NurdRage]

@LolzICanFly not all aluminum hydroxide is processed in the right way that makes it soluble in nitric acid. if you happen to have a batch that isn't, then you need to go through hydrochloric acid dissolution anyway.

[LolzICanFly]

@NurdRage Okay, thanks. One more question; wouldn't it also be possible to put the aluminum foil in the acid and then use an acid-resistant rod to scratch the oxide layer?

[NurdRage]

@LolzICanFly That won't accomplish much, concentrated nitric acid just forms a new oxide layer on aluminum after you scratch off the old one. You need an acid that doesn't do that.

But tell me something, why are you so hellbent on avoiding the method in the video? if you just want to save time then it might be more prudent just to buy aluminum nitrate directly. It's not expensive and not regulated.

[LolzICanFly]

@NurdRage I don't have a fumehood in my house and it's REALLY cold outside. And I prefer to make chemicals from scratch, after all, that's the point of your videos.

[NurdRage]

@LolzICanFly Actually, that isn't the point of my videos. I just want to demonstrate interesting scientific reactions, some of them from scratch, some of them not so much. My videos on glow sticks like making TCPO use lab chemicals mostly.

But by all means your own methods. if you;re lucky enough to possess reactive aluminum hydroxide then go for it.

[NurdRage]

@GwaiLoIntheHead I am not allowed to follow my own country's conventions?

[NurdRage]

@discaras nona means nine, so nonahydrate is means 9 water molecules are present. Nano means on the scale of one billionth. Since there really are nine water molecules per molecule of aluminum nitrate, nona has to be used, nano would be completely wrong.

[molinobeer]

@NurdRage

Do you have any idea on how to make aluminum oxide from aluminum powder?

[Heliman96]

I like your videos. But its expensive to do one of the experiments

[TheHubps]

@NurdRage Shouldn't I use the Al(OH)3 and NH4NO3 like what you do for make nitrates from alkali hydroxides (ex : NaOH+NH4NO3)? or it wouldn't work? thank you :)