Everything about Potassium Nitrate totally explained
| Section2 = Stale urine was filtered through a barrel full of straw and allowed to continue to sour for a year or more. After this period of time, water was used to wash the resulting chemical salts from the straw. This slurry was filtered through wood ashes and allowed to dry in the sun. Saltpeter crystals were then collected and added to
brimstone and
charcoal to create
black powder.
Potassium nitrate could also be harvested from accumulations of
bat guano in caves. This was the traditional method used in Laos for the manufacture of gunpowder for
Bang Fai rockets.
During the 19th century and until around
World War I, potassium nitrate was produced on an industrial scale, first by the
Birkeland-Eyde process in 1905, and then later from ammonium produced by the much more efficient
Haber process. The latter process came online during World War I, and supplied Germany with nitrates critical for the warfare that it otherwise had no access because the deposits of natural nitrate in
Chile were in British hands. It is assumed that this prolonged World War I. Today practically all nitrates are produced by ammonia from the
Haber process.
Applications
Saltpeter was used as an
anaphrodisiac throughout history.
Potassium nitrate is also used as a
fertilizer, in
amateur rocket propellant, and in several fireworks such as
smoke bombs, in which a mixture with sugar produces a smoke cloud of 600 times their own volume. The ratio for smoke bombs using
sucrose (powdered sugar) and potassium nitrate is 40(C
12H
22O
11):60(KNO
3). It can be used as is,or consolidated into a lump by mixing with water to make a paste and allowing to dry overnight.
In the process of
food preservation, potassium nitrate has been a common ingredient of salted meat since the
Middle Ages, but its use has been deprecated. Saltpeter is a key ingredient in the brine used to make
Corned Beef brisket. Saltpeter gives Corned Beef a pink hue when cooked.
In the European Union, it's referred to as
E252.
It is commonly used in pre-rolled cigarettes to maintain an even burn of the tobacco.
Potassium nitrate is also the main component (usually about 98%) of tree stump remover; it accelerates the natural decomposition of the stump.
Potassium Nitrate is also commonly used in the Heat Treatment of metals as a solvent in the Post-Wash. The oxidizing, water solubility and low cost make it an ideal short-term rust inhibitor.
It has also been used in the manufacture of
ice cream and can be found in some
toothpastes for sensitive
teeth. Recently, the use of potassium nitrate in
toothpastes for treating sensitive teeth has increased dramatically, despite the fact that it hasn't been conclusively shown to help dental hypersensitivity.
Potassium nitrate is also one of the three components of
black powder, along with powdered charcoal (substantially carbon) and sulfur, where it acts as an
oxidizer. It can also be burnt by itself (although it has a high flash point) producing a hot pink-orange flame.
Further Information
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