A novel industrial-scale strategy to prevent degradation and caking of ammonium nitrate

Abstract

Several research studies have been performed to minimise the hygroscopicity of ammonium nitrate for increasing its commercial value and decreasing the nitrogen content. In this study, the hygroscopicity of ammonium nitrate was reduced using silicic acid, calcium lignosulfonate, and sodium silicate in the two-stage vacuum ammonium nitrate production process. Degradation of ammonium nitrate was observed after two years of storage, which is considered a standard by the European Fertilizer Manufacturers Association.