Buying Nitric Acid

[dunar788]

I know that buying nitric acid is very difficult. I was just looking around in Walmart and I stumbled to where you can buy nitric acid. I have included a screen shot. It costs about 40 USD per liter. This is a little expensive, but not crazy. I pay about $70 for 2.5 liter at a local supplier.

I have not checked it out very much. You may be able to pick it out at a local Walmart store. Saving in shipping.

Anyway. Here it is

 

[Justincase]

I tried to order 50L two weeks ago.
Turns out there is aNitric Acid shortage in Europe.
I think it is to do with the ramping up of the armament industry due to the conflict with Rusha.
Was offered 20/2.5L bottles at a very inflated price.

 

[Gwar]

Good pricing, I use Duda Diesel usually, I ordered a few weeks ago, they site claimed it was in stock, after a week I inquired about my purchase, as it should only be a two-day shipping distance, they claimed it was a back ordered item, I wasn't happy with them, so it took two weeks to get here, it just arrived yesterday, I have been a returning customer my HNO3 needs for some time now, I may look into the GRF sponsor XELEXO or Lab Alley next time.

Nitric Acid, 2.5L 67.2% Concentration by Weight, 2.5L PVC-Coated Bottle, Fed-Ex Delivered all in $129.31

 

[orvi]

From pure curiosity, I loaded SigmaAldrich and changed the location to US to find out and man... The price is so over the roof. I know Sigma is overpriced to begin with, but cheapest nitric over 65% in 2,5L bottle is for 83 euros HERE. Compared to US, I found cheapest option for 132 USD. Man, that´s a difference.

 

[Shark]

Kind of makes a good case for poormans nitric and ar. I know at times that the real stuff is needed but very often the “make do” stuff is just way cheaper.

 

[orvi]

Kind of makes a good case for poormans nitric and ar. I know at times that the real stuff is needed but very often the “make do” stuff is just way cheaper.

This is leaving an essential question - why is nitrate cheaper than nitric acid. Because at first, it does not make any sense to me - because nitrates are manufactured from nitric acid, so they are just "more processed" nitric...

 

[Shark]

This is leaving an essential question - why is nitrate cheaper than nitric acid. Because at first, it does not make any sense to me - because nitrates are manufactured from nitric acid, so they are just "more processed" nitric...

Someone is making money from it. Not much for reasons other than money.

To be fair, I haven’t bought nitric in several years now. When I needed it I would drive to Duda and pick it up to save hazmat shipping. A couple of times I picked it up from what used to be Greenway Chemicals in Knoxville, Tn. Again saving the hazmat shipping. The past few years I have used poormans and can still get my gold good enough for my buyer. I have used sodium nitrate for years, but have been wanting to try calcium and potassium to compare. I have been using nitric made in situ for several years thanks to Geo’s video on the subject, but feel it could still be improved on maybe.

 

[eaglekeeper]

Someone is making money from it. Not much for reasons other than money.

To be fair, I haven’t bought nitric in several years now. When I needed it I would drive to Duda and pick it up to save hazmat shipping. A couple of times I picked it up from what used to be Greenway Chemicals in Knoxville, Tn. Again saving the hazmat shipping. The past few years I have used poormans and can still get my gold good enough for my buyer. I have used sodium nitrate for years, but have been wanting to try calcium and potassium to compare. I have been using nitric made in situ for several years thanks to Geo’s video on the subject, but feel it could still be improved on maybe.

I've tried calcium and potassium nitrate and found it has too much left over salts. The nitric is just as good, just way more stuff to filter out...or maybe it's just the stuff I get locally.

I have both on hand just in case, but I prefer sodium nitrate for nitric.

 

[Shark]

With the sodium the amount of salts can be controlled, to some extent, by calculating the proper amounts. I think maybe the same could be applied to the other nitrates as well. Yes, the resulting salts does create more work and filtering but time is the one thing I have that many don’t. Especially those doing this for a living.

Edit for grammar.

 

[Yggdrasil]

With the sodium the amount of salts can be controlled, to some extent, by calculating the proper amounts. I think maybe the same could be applied to the other nitrates as well. Yes, the resulting salts does create more work and filtering but time is the one thing have that many don’t. Especially those doing this for a living.

If you use the Sulfuric, Nitrate solution.
Calcium Nitrate will convert to Calcium Sulfate which is Gypsum which will be easy to remove by filtering.

 

[FrugalRefiner]

This is leaving an essential question - why is nitrate cheaper than nitric acid. Because at first, it does not make any sense to me - because nitrates are manufactured from nitric acid, so they are just "more processed" nitric...

In the US, nitric acid is very controlled as a hazardous material (explosive precursor and illicit drug manufacturing), so the high price is due to hazmat shipping costs. Nitrate fertilizers avoid the designation, so you're just paying for the chemicals, not the exorbitant shipping and handling costs.

Dave

 

[Marcel]

Nitric acid (as well as sulphuric acid) is more or less a waste product from the chemical industry.
Shortages and overpricing are due to political reasons.

 

[orvi]

Nitric acid (as well as sulphuric acid) is more or less a waste product from the chemical industry.
Shortages and overpricing are due to political reasons.

I don´t know if this is true. I don´t know of any significant process that produce nitric as byproduct. Sulfuric maybe, but more likely in the form of sulfate such as CaSO4. But nitric ? Whole factories are dedicated to Haber-Bosch synthesis of ammonia and then Ostwald process of controlled oxidation to manufacture the nitric acid. I live in relative proximity of one such plant, and it is HUGE. Primary good manufactured: ammonium nitrate and nitric acid. Queues of railroad tanks of nitric go out of it every day... Huge and very energy intensive process, which need hydrogen to even begin with. Price is adjusted to feeds costs, and as energy gone through the roof now, so does the nitric. Now costing more than 1 euro per kilo in bulk 50%... Unpleasant situation.

 

[Marcel]

I was referring primarily to NOx gases which are an unwanted waste product of some chemical processes:

1. Nitric Acid Production: The Ostwald process is commonly used for industrial-scale production of nitric acid. In this process, ammonia (NH3) is oxidized with oxygen (O2) to produce nitric oxide (NO), which is further oxidized to nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Nitrogen dioxide then reacts with water to form nitric acid. The formation of NO and NO2 in this process can result in the release of NOx gases as byproducts.
2. Combustion Processes: Various combustion processes, such as those in power plants, industrial boilers, and internal combustion engines, can generate NOx gases as byproducts. High temperatures during combustion cause nitrogen and oxygen in the air to react, forming nitrogen oxides (NOx), including nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
3. Chemical Manufacturing: Certain chemical manufacturing processes involving the oxidation of nitrogen-containing compounds or the reaction of nitrogen with oxygen can produce nitric acid or NOx gases as waste. Examples include the production of fertilizers, explosives, and certain organic chemicals.

(google)

 

[Golddigger76]

Lab Alley is the same way, no communication, and their shipping takes forever.
I have ordered a few different times and both times took a month to get my order and their $40 hasmat charge is too high in my opinion.
If you are in a rush order the jsp nitric from Walmart.
It's expensive but shipping is fast.

 

[Proffshuggarn]

Nitric Acid, 2.5L 67.2% Concentration by Weight, 2.5L PVC-Coated Bottle, Fed-Ex Delivered all in $129.31

Really? If you move that decimal one step to the right. Then it’ll be more likely the price I pay here in Swe for 25 liters of 65+% nitric acid.
I called the manufacturer directly and was given a number to their first line reseller.
And yes, it’s all expensive transports that results in that kind of price.
My tip is to try to get as close as possible to the manufacturer in the entire chain.
/Dennis

 

[orvi]

Really? If you move that decimal one step to the right. Then it’ll be more likely the price I pay here in Swe for 25 liters of 65+% nitric acid.
I called the manufacturer directly and was given a number to their first line reseller.
And yes, it’s all expensive transports that results in that kind of price.
My tip is to try to get as close as possible to the manufacturer in the entire chain.
/Dennis

Yup. But in EU, first thing you need to have is license I mean, business license to work with and purchase nitric, because it is restricted from sales to the general public. Aside of that, if you have license (VAT number is probably sufficient, I don´t know exactly), then I would make a trip to pick it up, even in the other country

If you purchased 25L for that insane price in Sweden, here it costs 63 euros for the same quantity. The company here does not mind who and how, just need your license number, fill the form and paperwork, pay and you can even take the canister to the hand and hop on the tram or bus, they wouldn´t care I know, generally, this is probably very bad approach, but it is how it is here...

I think you can plan relatively nice vacation for two for few days, including fuel costs for roadtrip from Sweden to central Europe. And you will still get it cheaper.

 

[Proffshuggarn]

Yup. But in EU, first thing you need to have is license I mean, business license to work with and purchase nitric, because it is restricted from sales to the general public.

-Check! That was the first they asked for. And I have a registered business

The company here does not mind who and how, just need your license number, fill the form and paperwork, pay and you can even take the canister to the hand and hop on the tram or bus, they wouldn´t care

-That's weird. So you can basically jump on an already packed bus with a 25 liter canister of Hno3 in each hand?
Here, a short training and a permit to transport "dangerous goods" is needed. And I must have a transport note for what I transport in the car.
That’s ok by me.
Unfortunately, the restrictions are necessary, for the reason given.
/Dennis

 

[Justincase]

On average I have been paying 45p a liter including delivery.
This year they have tried to bump it up to £11-20 a liter because of the "Shortage".
Have asked if I should buy what is available if the situation is going to get worse or if might I be able to get two propper drums sometime soon.
But no response.
Don't like to be short, which means if I need to do a good-sized run there might be delays which clients do not like at all.

 

[Spriz]

I know that buying nitric acid is very difficult. I was just looking around in Walmart and I stumbled to where you can buy nitric acid. I have included a screen shot. It costs about 40 USD per liter. This is a little expensive, but not crazy. I pay about $70 for 2.5 liter at a local supplier.

I have not checked it out very much. You may be able to pick it out at a local Walmart store. Saving in shipping.

Anyway. Here it is

I ordered from Walmart myself recently, it is only available online.