Uranyl nitrate

Description

A yellow powder with rhombic crystals. Uranyl nitrate is used as an intensifier for black and white photographs. It is also used as a yellow pigment in ceramic glazes.

Synonyms and Related Terms

uranium nitrate (incorrect); uranium oxynitrate, UNH; yellow salt

Risks

• Toxic by ingestion, inhalation and skin absorption.
• Causes liver and kidney damage.
• Skin contact causes irritation and burns.
• Strongly oxidizing.
• Fire and explosion risk with percussion.
• USDE: SDS

Physical and Chemical Properties

• Soluble in water, ethanol, acetone, ether. Insoluble in benzene, toluene, chloroform.
• Crystals are triboluminescent when rubbed or crushed.
• May also occur as hexahydrate (mw=502.13)

Composition	UO2(NO3)2
CAS	10102-06-4 (anhydrous)
Melting Point	60.2 C
Density	2.807 g/ml
Molecular Weight	mol. wt. = 394.04
Boiling Point	118 C

Resources and Citations

• Richard S. Lewis, Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York, 10th ed., 1993

• Michael McCann, Artist Beware, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York City, 1979

• The Merck Index, Martha Windholz (ed.), Merck Research Labs, Rahway NJ, 10th edition, 1983 Comment: entry 10000

• Photographic chemicals: www.jetcity.com~mrjones/chemdesc.htm

• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranyl_nitrate (Accessed Jan. 15, 2006)