Ammonium Sulfate

Ammonium Sulfate is an inorganic salt. It is a very useful compound which is made by treating ammonia with sulfuric acid. Its chemical formula is (NH4)2SO4.

Chemical Appearance

Ammonium Sulfate has the appearance of fine white granules or crystals. It is hygroscopic in nature.

Chemical Applications and Strengths

Ammonium Sulfate is an extremely efficient chemical compound and therefore, has many commercial applications. Its main applications and strengths are:

• Ammonium Sulfate is most popularly used in fertilisers for alkaline soils.
• It helps lower the pH balance of soil and adds much needed nitrogen for plant growth.
• It is used as an agricultural spray for water soluble insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides. In these it binds calcium and iron cations.
• It is used in a protein purification method by precipitation.
• It is used in a method called salting out for the purification of compounds.
• It is used in the analysis of rubber lattices.
• It is used as a food additive because it is generally recognised as safe and it is very useful in regulating acidity in flours and bread.
• It is used in the disinfection treatment of drinking water.
• Ammonium Sulfate is also used in the preparation of other ammonium salts such as ammonium persulfate.
• It is an essential component of many vaccines.
• It is used as an external standard in sulfur NMR spectroscopy.
• It is also very useful in flame retardant compositions. It increases combustion temperature of the material, reduces maximum weight loss rates, and increases the production of residue or char.
• It has been used in aerial firefighting.
• It has also been extensively used as a wood preservative.