> chemistry > acides > acide-nitrique > make-nitric-acid-without-sulfuric-acid-by-oxalate-precipitation-nurdrage

Make Nitric Acid without Sulfuric Acid by Oxalate Precipitation

NurdRage - 2024-07-14

In this video we make nitric acid by reacting calcium nitrate with oxalic acid.

The process is rather simple, dissolve 300g of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (A common fertilizer) in 1L of water and then dissolve 150g of Oxalic Acid dihydrate in 300mL of water with heating. Then mix the two. A white precipitate of calcium oxalate is formed. Filter this off and distill the filtrate. The distillate will be dilute nitric acid. Fractionally distill that to get azeotropic nitric acid. The yield is around 74%

Related videos:
Making Sulfuric Acid by Oxalate Precipitation: https://youtu.be/iDlFEV8bT3c
Make Potassium and Sodium Nitrate from Calcium Nitrate: https://youtu.be/RlonW4iJYrw
Purifying and upgrading nitric acid: https://youtu.be/88gbfCnrV8o


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@chriscarley9951 - 2024-07-14

Thank you for another possible cost reducing nitric opinion.

@TheBlackKnightmare - 2024-07-14

all these years all these nurds. so glad you are still around

@Samonie67 - 2024-07-14

im glad there's finally a video on this method, thanks for taking my suggestion and making a really good video on it

@andersjjensen - 2024-07-15

Thanks for suggesting it!

@kentherapy7022 - 2024-07-14

Nurd Rage and Nile Red....two professionals for all amateurs researchers.....

@imikla - 2024-07-14

Great video! I always love learning new pathways to get useful reagents, and this presentation is another outstanding example!
I look forward to trying this for the experience! Thank you!

@jerematic - 2024-07-15

Man watching the precipitate just appear like that was mesmerising

@SolarSeeker45 - 2024-12-17

So far my favorite method so far is distillation from calcium ammonium nitrate with sulfuric acid and a minimal amount of water. The calcium sulfate washes out decently well with water and very easily with hydrochloric acid. I've also been looking into platinum bright embers for gas logs. Because of the platinum content they can be used as a catalyst bed making the Ostwald process readily accessible to the amateur chemist.

@t33th4n - 2024-07-14

Absolutely love these short but well described videos on the process. Thank you master!

@Yao_Myao - 2024-09-10

WE SAVING HUMANITY WITH DIS ONE 🗣️🗣️

@Seishirō_MaZ - 2025-03-03

hhhh Dr.Stone ref

@aga5897 - 2024-07-14

Superbissimo !
Never saw that process, anywhere in history.
It'd have won the DAC hands down ;)

@front2760 - 2024-07-14

Hi Nurd.Funny that you posted today as just made Nitric with calcium nitrate and sodium Bisulfate (Pool supply).Looks like it worked.Just waiting for it to cool off and then will test.Thanks for your help again.

@henricoderre - 2025-03-19

Of all the methods you spoke of on your channel I like this one best because it allows me to make the dilute acid without poisoning myslf with nitrogen dioxide. Unlike many of you, I do not have a fume hood, and if I did it would have to be a ductless fume hood because I live in a heavily populated city.

@AnonymosAnthropos - 2024-07-14

An excellent approach! Thank you !

@strategicbacon7349 - 2024-07-14

Beautiful and interesting video as always. Keep up the amazing work!

@Fluxinate - 2024-07-14

Hell yeah nurd rage

@timecode37 - 2024-07-14

*heck

@Guds777 - 2024-07-15

yeah science Mr White...

@bobwerner6512 - 2024-07-15

Glad you are making these again

@chemnobeliumlab1520 - 2024-07-16

Sir this was really awesome procedure and honestly I didn't expect that will end like this. Extremally helpful tnx :)

@Mr_nuke99 - 2024-07-16

good to have you back !!

@noone-ez6on - 2024-07-29

Just as i bought some oxalate for other stuff. Def gonna try this!

@drmarine1771 - 2024-07-15

Love this channel, especially acid videos

@chriscarley9951 - 2024-10-24

Thanks!

@NurdRage - 2024-10-25

Thank you so much!

@y33t23 - 2024-07-14

Interesting method. Since I can get 25kg of Sodium Bisulfate for 42,99€ with free shipping, I'll stick to that method if I need nitric acid.
As a bonus on top of better cost effectiveness, you get fuming nitric acid directly, which is always easier to dilute to regular nitric acid than the other way around.

@mookinbabysealfurmittens - 2024-08-28

5:27 He discusses oxalic acid versus sodium bisulfate. I'm not arguing (even he said he'll stick to using sodium bisulfate). I'm just noting the specific point where he notes some pros & cons of each.

@KugelFits - 2025-03-22

Where do you get that at that price?

@y33t23 - 2025-03-22

@@KugelFits Everywhere online as a pool ph lowering agent. Found offers for 25kg on eBay for 35-38€ even. Could even get it at the hardware store, it's abundant.

@luamanlabs - 2024-08-09

This works great for me as I’ve got 20kg of calcium nitrate, and probably close to that amount of oxalic acid

@femstora - 2024-07-14

Just what I needed

@Kargoneth - 2024-07-14

The insolubility of that calcium oxalate is amazing.

@Kargoneth - 2024-07-14

Cleaning your equipment must be tedious.

@chemistryofquestionablequa6252 - 2024-07-14

​@@Kargonethcalcium salts are hellish to filter.

@ArcadiaPalladius - 2024-07-25

Dude, this is amazing!

@knutritter461 - 2024-08-06

TYy.... yet I would simply buy it! Greetings from an M. Sc. of chemistry....😉

@FezCaliph - 2024-07-14

I love to see you make a jar of pickles 😅

@MadScientist267 - 2024-07-14

Excellent. May need to try this.

@whatevernamegoeshere3644 - 2024-07-15

You are absolutely the best

@Qyonek - 2024-07-14

Thanks

@NurdRage - 2024-07-15

Thanks so much!

@perrygershin3946 - 2024-07-14

It's always nice to have options. 😀

@JoakimfromAnka - 2024-10-06

2:39 what's the benefit of the long glass tube?

@EvenStephen-i9u - 2024-08-06

That was brilliant

@R-C-R - 2024-07-15

Finally you made it thanx man

@beatrute2677 - 2024-07-15

This guy is the goat.

@Strobie_one - 2024-07-14

You are a HERO man. All of your videos are fantastic

@SodiumInteresting - 2024-07-19

Nice. I still like the sodium bisulfate and calcium nitrate dry method

@tntomega - 2024-07-14

is it possible to make nitric acid from diesel exhaust I seen a bus smoke is red (i am a mechanic ) can i bobble it to water and i get nitric acid?

@NurdRage - 2024-07-14

Yes, it's really dilute and crude though. But since you're working with a lot diesel, it might be a viable way.

@NH4NO3__0 - 2024-07-14

Yea probably . But its important that the vehicle doesent have a catalytic converter otherwise the nitrogen dioxide will decompose into nitrogen and oxygen wich is useless

@jtbmetaldesigns - 2024-09-18

You know, 35 years ago when I first bought nitric acid and opened the bottle I was amazed at how “familiar” it smelled to me. Wasn’t until the next day that a truck passed by did I finally make the connection with diesel and nitric acid. This was very early 1990s before “Blue DEF” was a thing

@jtbmetaldesigns - 2024-09-18

This is great! Can we recover oxalic from calcium oxalate? The fact it precipitated from a moderate strength nitric acid does not give hope. But make calcium oxalate can react with hydrochloric acid

@keithcarpenter5254 - 2024-07-14

Apparently, 'They' don't like the people having anything nitrated to an interesting level!😮😊

@jeremiahmiller6431 - 2024-07-17

Highly nitrated things tend to go "bang", and 'they' don't like people having things that go bang unless they know exactly who has it and why they need it.

@xfxox - 2024-07-15

Can this reagents be melted together without water?

@phearl3ss1 - 2025-03-09

I was reading that Hexachloroethane is used to remove hydrogen from molten aluminum. Is this true?

@Chrispy-sx4un - 2024-07-14

Thanks for the awesome videos

@jbeckley6849 - 2024-07-14

Could you distill without filtering out the calcium oxilate first?

@grahamspellman2442 - 2024-07-14

These videos feel different now that I’m an adult

@SuperAngelofglory - 2024-11-24

Fortunately, in my country you can actually find azeotropic nitric acid on the Internet to buy. It is sold as limescale remover for aluminium pipes. Costs 10 dollars for a 5 kg/3.5 litres jug.

@tr16384 - 2024-07-15

Is there any easy way to recover Oxalic acid back from CaC2O4 ?

@twocvbloke - 2024-07-14

Best hold off on any glycerol videos after this for a bit perhaps... :P

@杨文静-m7x - 2024-09-11

I've already done this, what should I do? (FBI! Open the door!)😱😱😱

@MrTheboffin - 2024-08-12

I'm very late on this video, wouldn't it be possible to do something similar with an acidic ion exchage resine ?
Those can be regenerated to.