Ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4) -Crystalline

Characteristic

Ammonium sulfate, (NH₄)₂SO₄, is an inorganic salt with a number of commercial uses. The most common use is as a soil fertilizer.

Chemical formula:(NH₄)₂SO₄

Molar mass: 132.14 g/mol

Appearance: Fine white hygroscopic granules or crystals

Density: 1.77 g/cm³

Melting point: 235 to 280 °C (455 to 536 °F; 508 to 553 K) (decomposes)

Solubility in water:70.6 g per 100 g water (0 °C);74.4 g per 100 g water (20 °C)

103.8 g per 100 g water (100 °C)

Solubility: Insoluble in acetone, alcohol and ether

Magnetic susceptibility (χ):-67.0·10−6 cm³/mol

Critical relative humidity:79.2% (30 °C)

Application

Ammonium sulfate is widely utilized as a fertilizer for alkaline soils. In biochemistry it is used for purification of proteins via ammonium sulfate precipitation method. As a food additive, it serves as an acidity regulator in flours and breads. It is used in the preparation of other ammonium salts, particularly ammonium persulfate. It is applied in several applications as a flame retardant and a wood preservative. It finds use as raw materials for various chemical products such as dyes and pharmaceutical products. A saturated solution of ammonium sulfate in heavy water is employed as an external standard in sulfur-33 NMR spectroscopy.