Copper Nitrate, Technical

Shepherd Chemical’s technical grade copper(II) nitrate hemipentahydrate are blue deliquescent crystals, soluble in water and alcohol. It contains a minimum of 26% copper and upper limits for iron, lead, chloride, and sulfates. Copper nitrate is a very versatile chemical and the panel of applications in which it is useful is large.

It is widely used in organic synthesis where it can act as a nitration agent for the production of nitroaromatic compounds, an oxidant, a catalyst, a promoter, or as a Lewis acid. Copper nitrate is used in the synthesis of copper oxide. Copper oxide is used as a catalyst for many organic synthesis processes and can be employed to form other copper salts, which can act as wood preservatives. Copper nitrate is also a convenient intermediate for copper nitrate complexes and a copper source for supported catalysts.

Copper nitrate as a mordant and oxidizing agent in textile dyeing was reported to bring a deodorizing function to cotton fabric. In the ceramic industry, copper nitrate is used as a blue, green, red, (or even pink, black, and gray) pigment for glass, enamels, and glazes. Copper nitrate can also be implemented in paints. Copper nitrate may be employed as a polishing agent for other metals. It is found in applications such as coloring copper black, brightening aluminum, production of a burnished effect on iron, and electroplating.

In the agricultural sector, it is used as an insecticide for vines, as an herbicide and a fungicide as well as a micro-nutrient. Copper nitrate is also used to prepare light-sensitive paper.

Shepherd Chemical has extensive experience with copper nitrate and would be delighted to hear about your application to tailor our standard copper nitrates to your specific requirements.