A method for the electrolytic production of a hydroxyl amine nitrate solution by direct reduction of nitric acid

摘要

A process for electrolytically producing a solution of hydroxylamine nitrate in an electrochemical cell having a cathode compartment 18, an anode compartment 22, and a separator 20 between the cathode compartment and the anode compartment, which process comprises: (a) feeding a catholyte consisting essentially of an aqueous nitric acid solution to the cathode compartment, (b) feeding an anolyte solution to the anode compartment, (c) electrolyzing the catholyte while maintaining the cathodic reaction temperature below about 50 DEG C to produce a hydroxylamine nitrate solution, and (d) recovering the hydroxylamine nitrate solution from the cathode compartment. The cathode 16 may be mercury or an alkali metal amalgam and the separator 20 may be a cation exchange membrane. The cell may have a cooling compartment 12. A process for reducing excess nitric acid in an aqueous hydroxylamine nitrate solution containing an excess of nitric acid comprises contacting the hydroxylamine nitrate solution with a basic neutralizing agent. IMAGE