Lead Nitrate
Lead Nitrate
LEAD NITRATE
Lead Nitrate is an inorganic chemical compound that is soluble in water unlike most other lead salts. It is a very toxic oxidizer substance. Lead nitrate is colourless crystalline solid which is slightly soluble in alcohol. Though it is not combustible but it accelerates the burning of combustible materials. It causes an explosion if it is exposed to heat for a long time. On burning this lead salt, a toxic oxide of nitrogen is generated. Toxic oxides of nitrogen are produced in fires involving Lead Nitrate. When this compound is heated, it breaks down into colourless gas of oxygen, yellow colour lead oxide, and brown colour nitrogen dioxide. It has cubic crystalline structure. It is soluble in ethanol. When heated to decomposition, this salt emits very toxic fumes of nitrogen oxides. It reacts with some reducing materials. It reacts violently with ammonium thiocyanate, and lead hypophosphate.
USES AND APPLICATIONS FOR Lead Nitrate
It has several uses like:-
- It is used in the manufacturing of matches and some explosives materials.
- It is used in the dyeing and printing on textiles as it is a mordant.
- It serves as a sensitizer in photography.
- It is utilized in rayon delustering, also as a heat stabilizer in nylon.
- It is used in tanning and lithography.
- It works as a coating for photo thermographic paper.
- To improve the leaching process, the addition of Lead Nitrate helps the process.
- It is used in the preparation of isothiocyanates.