5 Interesting Facts About Barium Nitrate
Barium Nitrate is a salt of barium and the nitrate ion. It has uses in the vacuum tube industry and the manufacture of other barium compounds. BassTech International has supplied glass manufacturers and the pyrotechnic industry with high purity Barium Nitrate for over 20 years.
Here are five interesting facts about Barium Nitrate:
1. Green fireworks and flares use Barium Nitrate.
Fireworks have come a long way since their invention in 12th century China. Thanks to advancements in pyrotechnics, today’s explosive displays are more colorful than ever. For example, Sodium Chloride yields yellow fireworks, Copper Chloride burns blue and Barium Nitrate produces green.
2. Barium Nitrate can be used to produce other barium compounds.
Barium Nitrate (Ba(NO₃)₂) is used to manufacture compounds like Barium Chloride (BaCl₂) and Barium Hydroxide (Ba(OH)₂), which are supplied through BassTech.
3. It’s used to manufacture glass products.
Don’t be fooled by the green fireworks– Barium Nitrate is also used to make high quality, low thermal expansion glass products. The oxygen in Barium Nitrate helps keep glass clearer and free of discoloration. Barium Nitrate is also used in the manufacture of optical glass. It improves the refractive index of glass used in products such as camera lenses. BassTech is dedicated to the long term supply of products for the manufacture of glass under the European Union’s REACH Regulation.
4. The military has multiple uses for Barium Nitrate.
You may have guessed that the military world uses Barium Nitrate for signal flares in the field, but did you know that it is also used to produce tracer bullets? Barium Nitrate contributes to a small pyrotechnic charge that occurs in the bullet’s base. When fired, the bullet’s pyrotechnic flare is visible to the naked eye. One practical use for this is to follow the bullet’s trajectory and make aiming adjustments if necessary.
5. There are two ways to manufacture Barium Nitrate.
The first process involves dissolving small chunks of Barium Carbonate in nitric acid, allowing any iron impurities to precipitate. It is then filtered, evaporated and crystallized. Another way to manufacture Barium Nitrate is to combine Barium Chloride with a heated solution of Sodium Nitrate. This causes Barium Nitrate crystals to separate.
