Ammonium Bicarbonate

What is Ammonium Bicarbonate?

Molecular Formula (Ammonium Bicarbonate): NH₄HCO₃

Molecular Weight: 75.056 g/mol

Chemical Name: Ammonium Hydrogen Carbonate

CAS Number: 1066-33-7

It is a chemical substance found as a white crystalline solid with an ammonia odor. It is generally known as Ammonium Hydrogen Carbonate.

It is a chemical cleaning agent. One of its most important features is its self-leavening capability. Therefore, it does not require a leavening acid.

It is an inorganic compound with slightly basic properties. It is a reagent widely used in industrial and laboratory research. It is an effective reagent.

Ammonium Bicarbonate E Code; E 503

Other Names Are As Follows;

• 1066-33-7
• Monoammonium Carbonate
• Diammonium Carbonate
• Acid Ammonium Carbonate
• Carbonic Acid Hydrogen Ammonium Salt
• Ammonium Carbonate, Acidic
• Carbonic Acid Monoammonium Salt
• Food Grade Ammonium Bicarbonate
• Baking Powder
• Ammonia Bicarbonate
• Ammonium Acid Carbonate

How is Ammonium Bicarbonate Produced?

Production is carried out in two ways.

1. Method;

Compressed Carbon Dioxide is mixed with concentrated Ammonia. It is placed under Carbon Dioxide pressure. Cold air is applied during this time. Then, the crystals are precipitated. After the crystallization process, centrifugation is performed for separation. Dehydration is carried out during the Ammonium Bicarbonate (Ammonium Hydrogen Carbonate) production process. After the refining process, it is dissolved in water and Ethanol is added for the crystallization process.

2. Method (Carbonization Method)

After Ammonia is absorbed by water, carbon dioxide is applied for the carbonization process. Then, separation and drying processes are applied to produce Ammonium Bicarbonate (Ammonium Hydrogen Carbonate).

NH₃+CO₂+H₂O》NH₄HCO₃

What are the Physical and Chemical Properties?

It is found in the form of white crystals or white powder. It has a characteristic ammonia odor.

Ammonium Bicarbonate (Ammonium Hydrogen Carbonate) is freely soluble in water. It is insoluble in ethanol. It is soluble in glycerol and acetone.

Ammonium Hydrogen Carbonate has a solubility of 24.8 g/ 100 g Water at 25 °C.

Its density is 1.58 g/cm³.

It is stable at room temperature. It decomposes as the temperature increases.

The melting point is 107 °C.

Boiling Point: Decomposes, no boiling point.

pH is around 7.8.

What are the Usage Areas of Ammonium Bicarbonate?

• It is used in the manufacture of baking powders. This is the most common area of use.
• It is used as a leavening agent in chocolate and confectionery production.
• It is used in the manufacture of insecticides. Ammonium Hydrogen Carbonate is used in cooling baths and fire extinguishers.
• It is used in the manufacture of porous plastics.
• For the production of tablets with a porous structure that disintegrate rapidly, a mixture of Ammonium Bicarbonate and Ammonium Carbonate is used together with microcrystalline cellulose, mannitol, sorbitol, and Polyvinylpyrrolidone. Tablets produced in this way are heated to a certain temperature under vacuum. Thanks to this, the resulting tablets are porous yet have a hard structure, allowing them to disperse easily.
• To strip and clean paints on metals, it is used together with ammonia and an emulsifying agent such as hydroxypropyl cellulose in a benzyl alcohol solvent. The paints on the metal are cleaned with the resulting solution.
• In the food industry, it is used in the manufacture of cocoa powder to create an alkaline environment and ensure carbon dioxide release.
• In ceramic production, ammonium bicarbonate is used together with fluorine compounds to obtain frosted surfaces in electrolytic and etching baths.
• It is used in paint production.
• It is used as a buffering salt to obtain ammonia in chrome leather tanning.
• It is used as a nitrogenous fertilizer because it meets the nitrogen and carbon dioxide requirements needed for plant growth. A low nitrogen ratio facilitates anti-caking.
• Ammonium Hydrogen Carbonate is used in the synthesis of fabric oil. It is also used as an analytical reagent.
• It is used as a leavening agent in the production of low-sodium crackers.
• It can be used directly as a food release agent, leavening agent, and ground fertilizer.
• When applied with sodium bicarbonate, Ammonium Bicarbonate is used as a leavening agent in biscuits, cakes, breads, and crepes.
• It can be used as a raw material for foaming powder used in blanching bamboo shoots and green vegetables.
• It is used in the manufacture of snack cakes with high moisture content. It is used to provide certain characteristics in porous bakery products.
• It is used as a leavening agent, buffer, and aerating agent in foods.
• It is used as a buffer in applications such as lyophilization and matrix-assisted laser desorption. It is also used in the mass spectrometric analysis of trypsin and proteins.
• It is used in the manufacture of ammonium compounds.
• By raising the pH of batters used in waffle production, it creates more homogeneous pore sizes. In this way, a softer texture and a more voluminous waffle are obtained with the use of ammonium bicarbonate.
• It is used in the production of rapidly dissolving porous tablets.

What are the Factors Affecting Prices?

The price of Ammonium Hydrogen Carbonate is directly dependent on the prices of the materials used in its production. As Ammonia and Carbon Dioxide prices increase, prices will rise.

The prices of this chemical vary depending on the areas of use. As the application areas increase, prices will increase.

It varies depending on the stocks of the companies that sell Ammonium Bicarbonate (Ammonium Hydrogen Carbonate). As the number of companies producing this chemical increases, prices will decrease.