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

[@mattk6315]

OMG my mom walked in and thought i was watching a video on how to cook meth because of the voice she thought it was anonymous

[@pinksapphire2898]

+Kid Kirby lmfao since when does anonymous make meth

[@shonaoneill5151]

+Seth Black lol ikr

[@kuchenzwiebel7147]

Pls just stop lying. You can't find anything illegal on youtube for more that 2 days!

[@autumn2675]

Sack TV doesn’t mean he was lying, his mom could have thought it was some illegal dark web form of KZbin. Chill and just appreciate the funny moments us young chemists have. Also, side note, NurdRage has made drugs, highly reactive chemicals, and even sodium cyanide. I’d say that’s still pretty worry some for a mother to walk in and find her child watching

[@safaasalman9943]

نوه

[@NurdRage]

We ran outta short names ~300 years ago.

[@kickit246]

your videos are really cool. I think I have to subscribe now. :). Chemistry is fun (but difficult) so this is like all the fun, without having to figure it all out beforehand. Thanks Mr. NurdRage. :)

[@NurdRage]

yes, absolutely :) but it should still be done in a fumehood for safety.

[@nunyabisnass1141]

I asked chem player about potentially using a substitution reaction to precipitate nano aluminum out of solution from a salt. Well long story short we both ended up finding the same literature, and found some significant problems. 1, it is possible but requires some rather exotic reagents you'd likely have to make your self. 2, the relatively high surface area means it would oxidise very quickly, and isn't likely to be usable after contact with air. 3, it just wouldn't be practical to try.

[@SatansMullet]

everything you do is SO above my head haha, but i love watching it none the less

[@user-rz5hc3xc2w]

ضصثقىعقن

[@NurdRage]

@TzerMaan The usual, complexometric titration or gravimetric analysis. Although the hydration issues might make the aluminum content slightly off on a mass basis. What's more important is the foreign metal content, that will interfere with the phosphorescence later on. I think atomic absorption spectroscopy is your best bet to determine what else is in there. But in our next video, we'll purify by recrystallization anyway so the impurities won't be an issue.

[@NurdRage]

@scimikey I suppose you could displace copper nitrate to make aluminum nitrate. But that would produce a rather impure aluminum nitrate with tiny bits of copper contaminants. The upcoming video on phosphorescence requires ultra-pure stuff, so i don't recommend going the displacement route.

[@NurdRage]

@jose04811 a little bit of both. each vid takes weeks of planning and filming. This entire project to make glow in the dark powder was planned 10 months ago, and since then i've been refining and improving the techniques. Along the way i film and then i take the best parts and put together to make vids. Some vids are made the same day they filmed, others might be months old. This particular vid combines footage shot over 4 months. the oldest footage was 4 months, the latest was 2 weeks old.

[@bang4915]

This really help me cuz I want to make a glow in the dark powder

[@ggglllllll]

man this vids are just awesome!!

[@milotickz]

Can't wait to see those GITD powders.

[@NurdRage]

@Silverblotter unlike many other videos on youtube, experiments cost cost money. They can only be released when they are ready. please be patient.

[@Jose04811]

hey since you say that some of these expirements take weeks to get the certain chemical and stuff like that...does that mean that your creating multiple vids in one day so you can have a steady output of vids ...or is this vid form like 3 weks ago and now your making a new chemical coumpond or mixture?

[@NurdRage]

@CarbonScience Nice. I suppose metals would be much more reactive than sugar. If possible, could you post a video of your experiment? i'd like to see the burn characteristics of your composition.

[@NurdRage]

@AgentCROCODILE I never said you couldn't. Why go through such a route when this route is inherently cleaner?

[@PGMrecover]

I think that if you use enough diluited nitric acid Al will react giving the nitrate because it's not enough acid to give the NO3- the oxidant power to generate the passivation layer and then the H+ to H2 reaction works!

[@PGMrecover]

Else maybe it's a kind of catalytic mechanism like: HNO3 oxideze Cu to Cu++ then Cu++ go to Cu while Al go to Al+++ then HNO3 oxideze Cu to Cu++ again and so on in a catalytic cycle. Try to add to the diluited HNO3 you usually use just the Al foil only and look if reaction starts anyway. If it doesn't start then add just some drops of any Cu++ soluble salt solution and then have a look if it works!

[@lk0056]

I love your videos! MOAR!!!

[@chemistryplan]

Love these vieos. i didnt even knew that you could make aluminium nitrate because doesent really react with nitric acid

[@JaycubL]

You said that Aluminum is immune to nitric acid, so does that mean I could use aluminum tubes in a distilling thing for HNO3?

[@fauxpassant]

why is there a liquid dripping down from the beaker cover when you heat the nitric acid and aluminium trichloride?

[@Blinkwing]

could you please make a video about ways of making hydrogen? it would be awesome!

[@bla287]

Oh, sorry if I got something wrong, English is not my native language... but what I meant is the type of large stores where you'd buy wood boards, copper tubes, varnish etc. At least here in Germany they usually also have technical grade HCl, ammonia, acetone etc. for ~2-4€/litre, but I don't know how it is in Canada... I get most of such base chemicals from there (the HCl is slightly contaminated with some ppm FeCl3, but that doesn't matter that much because you have to recrystallise anyways)

[@Shreyas2679]

Can gallium nitrate be made in same way from Ga metal? I would love to see the video on making Gallium nitrate from Gallium oxide or Gallium metal.

[@safaasalman9943]

نت

[@sciencoking]

really, REALLY AWESOME. I need europium+dysprosium. NOW.

[@elfonacid]

Is it possible use this instead of silver nitrate to make mirrors?

[@NurdRage]

@chrisofcolombia The methods i know require a furnace. As most people don't have one, and i haven't shown how to build one, i probably won't be doing it until i can either find an easier method, or show how to build a furnace.

[@NurdRage]

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

[@freakin1random]

couldn't you add an oxidizer like a hyd. peroxide to break the passive aluminum layer?

[@NurdRage]

@chrisofcolombia I'm told the flame method can work. but i've never seen a prep for it. If you can get it work i'd like to see it :)

[@omsingharjit]

How to make AlN using aluminium and Nictric acid

[@PGMrecover]

You will obtain a solution of Al(NO3)3 and Cu(NO3)2 so, at the end, you will have not pure Al(NO3)3 salt. Anyway I think, like I wrote, that you use enough diluited nitric acid so that Al reacts giving the nitrate because it's not enough acid to give the NO3- the oxidant power to generate the passivation layer and then the H+ to H2 reaction works!

[@jakep519]

Could this experiment produce small amounts of aqua regia from unreacted HCl mixing with the HNO3?

[@Kuwaiti55]

RocK! 5,***** BTW,can i use fine Al powder (with 6M HCL)?

[@eddie10191]

Cool home made kryptonite

[@molinobeer]

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

[@MrGameAndWatch00000]

great video :)

[@Khaied345]

any way to get it from Aluminium sulfate and other household chemicals(like NH4NO3)?

[@nikola96uf]

can i when make it boil it but not completly and cool in fridge to get crystals? like you did in purification vedeo

[@OndrejGroborz]

How about this: Mixing aluminium sulphate or aluminium chloride and potassium or sodium nitrate, and then to separate them using methanol, ethanol or ethylene glycol? (aluminium nitrate is soluble in these solvents, methanol is the best for this purpose, nonetheless sulphates should be insoluble). Would you recomend it? Supposing it works it would be much better for amateurs.

[@JavDSilva]

i made the alominium cloride, addes the nitric acid directely from bottle, is about 55%,that said the chemical suplier. turned yelow buit not bubling gas do i need to add more nitric acid?

[@Frresh123]

Nurdrage, how pure has the al(no3)3 at least to be (in percent)?

[@HomeDistiller]

could you recover the nitric acid from the nitrogen dioxide gas?

[@TzerMaan]

What can be done for quantitative analysis for this mixture?

[@NurdRage]

@demoniclordwizard The stuff in the video, a salt of aluminum and nitric acid.

[@acorgiwithacrown467]

I know Aluminium nitrate nonahydrate can't be used for pyro but what about regular Aluminium nitrate?

[@imgeek1337]

When will you put up the glow in the dark powder video? Do I need both europium and dysprosium nitrate to make blue? How much aluminum and strontium nitrate do I need?

[@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.

[@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.

[@thanOo-sf3yf]

NurdRage

[@ZFQFMB]

I always made this by first making a solution of copper nitrate with dilute nitric acid (To minimize loss of acid as NOx.) and then place aluminum foil in it to get aluminum nitrate. That way I could recycle the copper. (It could be heated to CuO, which wasted even less nitric acid.) Is there a reason this method shouldn't be used or am I doing ok?

[@watchoutfortheskyrim]

when adding the alumnium to the hydrochloric acid, how would u get this back out of solution i wanna make alumnium powder chemmically, plz and ty :)

[@nikola96uf]

Please can you write balanced reaction between aluminium chloride and nitric acid? :)

[@nikola96uf]

why here mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acid dissolve aluminium to get aluminium nitrate, and when aqua regia dissolves gold it makes gold chloride?

[@marvellover2810]

who is here after Lebanon explosions 🤔

[@adrianjaybendolo4857]

Me

[@Masonwindow]

Me 😂

[@Caaa314]

;b

[@isaacg4511]

I’m on a list now

[@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.

[@shonaoneill5151]

NurdRage You my friend are the LEGEND of KZbin ☺

[@alcid34]

You said that you can't simply put aluninum into nitric acid because it forms a passivation layer. Can't you just add water to the acid to make the acid dilute and break up the passivation layer?

[@macvegard]

how concentrated is 6M hydrochloric acid and 15.6M nitric acid in percent? i havent learned how to calculate it yet.

[@xC0FF33]

best pyrotechnics is always with the way of KMnO4/glycerine....or say by using strongly acidified KMnO4 and an organic compound any better..?

[@milotickz]

Couldn't you use regular nitric acid to make aluminum nitrate nonahydrate or does it not work that way?

[@yahoorif]

what is the difference between aluminium and aluminum ?

[@billiardrichard6351]

Wow awesome video Cannot we make a product out lf it

[@hammerman998]

is it possible to make Hydrochloric acid from salt and if so is it pure enough to use in this expirement

[@vitorix24]

Can you send me the chemical equations and the concentration of acids?

[@watchoutfortheskyrim]

what if i dissolved alumnium with naoh or koh, could i then somehow get alumnium powder back out of solution?

[@omegahunter9]

Wow. Nice video! I

[@NurdRage]

@milotickz no full answer in video

[@nikola96uf]

can i make aluminium hydroxide bu reaction of hcl and al to make alcl3 and mix it with naoh and wash al(oh)3 and mix it with hno3? there will be no toxic gases

[@NurdRage]

@mewrox99 what would that accomplish?

[@howtodoit13]

where do you buy your chemicals from?

[@jimmartin7899]

Is it possible to make it glow in the dark in the infrared spectrum?

[@kic009]

Is this oxidizing agent?

[@sorathelight223]

lolz at the whole pryo thing that was funny

[@AbdolazimHasseli]

A naive question: What happens when we mix two nitrates? For example: Lanthanum nitrate and Aluminum nitrate?

[@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?

[@rafikamin6617]

No

[@vistigioful]

Is it just me or should every experiment be done outside or in a fumehood.

[@luismash9199]

What's the best way of making amonium nitrate at home for field crops

[@Spycyzygy]

Pass ammonia gas into nitric acid

[@mtsg3761]

Umm it seems I'm not the only one here now

[@MrLol333]

this is pretty difficult, 'cause you can't get Aluminium from an aqueous solution. Technically, it is produced by a fused salt electrolysis. I think it's much easier to buy it directly.

[@NurdRage]

@Krankiev "Works bomb"? never heard of that one.

[@pyropakman]

@Almontmarine: Water vapor condensing on the convex surface of the watch glass. Droplets accumulate and slide down.

[@NurdRage]

@koragofmagic but then you'll get a mixture of sodium and aluminum nitrate,

[@gbear20]

how do you stop hydrolysis of the AlCl3 intermediate? It's a potent Lewis acid which would surely scavenge any water in the system?

[@elephystry]

I think the aluminum nitrate absorbs it. It is the nonahydrate after all.

[@yosupdude556]

@NurdRage he ment to say mix the barium then put in the nitric acid but that will need sulfer and alot of heat

[@freakin1random]

will it burn as anahyrate?

[@rofliheli8614]

Can dessicatior remove water from aluminium nitrate nonahydrate

[@Garrettalllikewhat]

Why did you say aluminum trichloride? It's not an anionic compound so you don't need the tri right?

[@avi8aviate]

First, you dissolve the aluminum in hydrochloric acid, then you make aqua regia to make aluminum nitrate at :50 or at :55 or something.

[@avi8aviate]

The :50 and :55 don't really, like, NEED zeroes, or that's what I think.

[@bla287]

@neoYTPism If the liquid was very viscous, then there was definitely something else in it besides HCl and water! Normal aqueous solutions of HCl are always clear, colourless and of similar viscousity as water. And I think if it's only 9% and you maybe did it outside (cold), it will take some time until the reaction starts even with pure HCl solution. I don't know about your chemical laws, but ours are quite restrictive and we still can buy 24% HCl in hardware stores, maybe you should look there.

[@HazMatLabz]

CaOH and NaCO3 will make Sodium Hydroxide. If you aren't sure of a reaction, just type it in in google and put the word equation after your reaction.

[@Prchemist06]

Rather than adding aluminium chloride to nitric acid, make aluminium oxide/hydroxide by adding NaOH to aluminium chloride and then add Al2O3 or Al(OH)3 to nitric acid... :))

[@matta8508]

My route for synthesis of Aluminum Nitrate was to produce Aluminum Hydroxide by reacting aqueous solutions of Sodium Bicarbonate and Aluminum Sulfate and them neutralizing the formed Aluminum Hydroxide with Nitric Acid... just to avoid production of Nitrosyl* Chloride. Still need to dry the product and test it but I'm fairly confident about the results. *Corrected.

[@thelanner22b]

Since when does this procedure produce Thionyl Chloride? It makes Nitrosyl Chloride that decomposes intro Nitrogen Dioxide and Chlorine.

[@matta8508]

My bad, my bad... I was thinking about Nitrosyl Chloride and typed Thionyl because my mind fails badly at times lol

[@henrylh4115]

wow youre smart ass :D im going to make Aluiminium Nitrate *9H2O by your route, but i dont have AlSO4 So im using HCl and Al to make AlCl3 then add NaOH to make precitipate of AlOH and NaCl (your route doesnt produce highly toxic mixture of NO2 and Cl) THANKS :D

[@matta8508]

Yup, worked as expected. Tested the solubility in water, alcohol and burning indeed produce aluminum oxide so I guess it worked pretty well. Just remember washing the aluminum hydroxide a couple times to remove salt contamination... 'cause I made this mistake of not doing it the first try and got a lot of fizzing indicating presence of unreacted sodium bicarbonate, and due to the sodium contamination of my product I had to do everything again. I may record a video of the process in case I do it again (not likely).

[@henrylh4115]

Only one problem is Aluminium nitrate is hygroscopic and decompose (150°C) to aluminium oxide and toxic NO2 fumes, i dont have dessicator to drying it so i just have aluminium nitrate solution

[@nikola96uf]

can i use 36 % nitric acid instead of concetrated?

[@k0namiman]

Could the Nitrosyl chloride conceivably be scavenged and used in a future experiment?

[@fatcartman]

I once mixed Chlorox with Pinol( floor cleaning solution). the mixture turned black like the one on this video and it was hot for a second. Can someone tell me what I did??

[@dragonridley]

I take it then you can't make anhydrous aluminum nitrate?

[@krisztianszirtes5414]

Yeah, my Kama3 is still working!

[@MacsCanfly]

awesome

[@coolbluelights]

Where do you get hydrochloric acid besides your stomach? I don't feel like throwing up to do this lol