Амилнитрат

Description

Amyl nitrate is an ester of pentyl alcohol and nitric acid, a clear, colorless liquid with an ethereal odor. The main industrial application is as a flammability improver (cetane-increasing additive) for diesel fuel. There is no dump in the input data for this product; all the information below was obtained from open sources based on CAS number and English name.

Basic Attributes

• CAS No.: 1002-16-0
• Chemical formula: C5H11NO3
• Molecular weight: 133.15 (calculated value using formula)

Synonyms

Nitric acid, pentyl ether; pentyl nitrate; n-pentyl nitrate; 1-pentyl nitrate; alternative CAS number 8015-63-2.

Physico-chemical characteristics

• Appearance: transparent colorless liquid with an ethereal odor
• Density: approximately equal to the density of water
• Solubility in water: insoluble
• Flash point: about 118 °F (≈ 47.8 °C)

Scope of application

Amyl nitrate is one of the well-known cetane improvers: it accelerates the ignition of diesel fuel and increases the cetane number. Typical input concentration is about 1 wt.%; at this dosage, the additive is capable of raising the cetane number of fuel from 40 to approximately 45 units. In addition to the fuel industry, the compound serves as a reagent in organic synthesis as a source of an alkyl nitrate group.

Chemical Hazards and Stability

The compound is highly flammable and, upon contact with an open flame, accelerates the combustion of other flammable materials. When heated or burned, decomposes to form toxic nitrogen oxides (NOx). As an organic nitroether, it requires careful handling, since such compounds are thermally less stable than hydrocarbon feedstocks and can decompose when overheated or subjected to shock.

Storage and transportation

Store in an airtight container made of materials resistant to organic nitroesters in a cool, ventilated area away from heat sources, open flames and oxidizing agents. Transportation - as a flammable liquid, taking into account the low flash point. Work with the product in a fume hood, use respiratory protection when dosing into fuel, and avoid getting into water bodies.

Place among cetane-boosting additives

Along with amyl nitrate, other alkyl nitrates are used in the fuel industry - 2-ethylhexyl nitrate and isopropyl nitrate, which operate on the same principle: the molecule easily disintegrates when the air-fuel mixture is compressed in the cylinder, initiating earlier and more uniform ignition. Amyl nitrate is considered one of the more effective representatives of this series of additives, since it significantly increases the cetane number even at a moderate dosage. The use of such additives is especially important for diesel fuel with an initially low cetane number, where without ignition correction the harshness of engine operation and fuel consumption increase.

Compatibility and Application Limitations

Like other organic nitroesters, amyl nitrate is incompatible with strong acids and oxidizing agents; contact may cause violent decomposition. The additive is introduced into the fuel at the compounding stage at a tank farm or plant, and not directly by the consumer, which reduces the risks of mass handling of the substance.