X-Nico

unusual facts about nitric acid



Bulk loaded liquid propellants

In 1981, the Naval Weapons Center tried a 350 round/minute cyclic bipropellant gun, using 90% Nitric Acid and a proprietary hydrocarbon (probably a low molecular weight alkane, like Propane).

Peter Woulfe

In 1779, Woulfe reported the formation of a yellow dye when indigo was treated with nitric acid.

Potassium picrate

Potassium picrate was first prepared as impure in mid-17th century by Johann Rudolf Glauber by dissolving wood in nitric acid and neutralizing with potassium carbonate.

Tetrahydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone

The dark purple and insoluble dipotassium salt K2C6H2O6 was prepared by Preisler and Berger in 1942, by oxidizing inositol with nitric acid and reacting the result with potassium carbonate in the presence of oxygen.


see also

Combined Task Force 150

The ship from North Korea was carrying a cargo of 15 Scud missiles, 15 conventional warheads with 250 kg of high explosive, 23 fuel tanks of nitric acid and 85 drums of chemicals.

Liquid-propellant rocket

nitric acid 73% with dinitrogen tetroxide 27% (=AK27) and kerosene/gasoline mixture (=TM-185) – various Russian (USSR) cold-war ballistic missiles (R-12, Scud-B,-D), Iran: Shahab-5, North Korea: Taepodong-2