Description
Potassium nitrate is a white powder or long needle-like crystals manufactured by Haifa with the chemical name KNO3. This is very high quality at 99.4-99.7% purity and works perfectly for all applications. This item is granulated and has the consistency of table salt
The most famous use of potassium nitrate is probably as the oxidizer in black powder. From the most ancient times until the late 1880s, black powder provided the explosive power for all the world’s firearms. After that time, small arms and large artillery increasingly began to depend on cordite, a smokeless powder. Blackpowder remains in use today in black powder rocket motors, but also in combination with other fuels like sugars in “rocket candy”. It is also used in fireworks such as smoke bombs.
KNO3 is also used as fertilizer. Another possible source is ‘stump remover’, though this is somewhat more expensive and a lot lower quality and purity thank this Potassium Nitrate
Alternatively, potassium nitrate can be prepared from other chemicals. For example from nitric acid and potassium carbonate or hydroxide (acid-base reaction), or sodium nitrate and potassium chloride (fractional crystallization).
KNO3 is not particularly dangerous or toxic in small amounts. Ingesting in larger amounts, however, has been linked to cancer, especially in small children.
Joshua –
I have to say, I’ve made some pretty fast black powder with that stump-remover KNO3. we’re talking about burning on your hand and not feeling a thing fast: but never have I made a more powerful, clean-burning powder as the stuff I made with this nitrate! I whipped up a batch the standard 75/15/10 bp with willow coal, put it in the ball mill for 8 hours, granulated it, and then let it dry. That batch of bp ended up being the best I’ve ever made.
I’m giving this one the normal 10/10!