Cerium Ammonium Nitrate
AMMONIUM CERIC NITRATE, AMMONIUM HEXANITRATE CERATE, AMMONIUM HEXANITRATO CERATE, Ammonium hexanitratocerate
- CAS
- 16774-21-3
- EC
- 240-827-6
- Sectors
- Pharma & Healthcare, Electronics & Solar PV, Plastics & Polymers
Cerium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN; (NH₄)₂[Ce(NO₃)₆]; MW 468.18) is a cerium(IV) rare earth salt supplied as yellow-orange crystalline powder with a melting point of 107–108 °C and exceptionally high water solubility (1,410 g/L at 20 °C). Commercially available at purities of ≥ 98.5 %, ≥ 99 %, and ≥ 99.99 % (reagent/ACS grades), with TREO content of the salt typically quoted on a rare earth oxide basis.
Its defining characteristic is a well-defined Ce(IV)/Ce(III) redox couple, making it the reagent of choice as a single-electron oxidant in organic synthesis and as a precision analytical oxidant. The high solubility and oxidising capacity also underpin its use in microelectronics etching and polymer initiation chemistry.
Cerium Ammonium Nitrate
Applications
- Electronics & Solar PV: Employed as a chromium etchant in photomask and LCD panel fabrication, delivering controlled, selective material removal at the sub-micron level.
- Electronics & Solar PV: Used as a high-purity oxidising agent in wet-chemical processing steps where precise Ce(IV) activity and low metallic impurity levels are required.
- Pharma & Healthcare: Serves as a single-electron oxidant in multi-step organic synthesis, enabling selective oxidations under mild, well-controlled conditions.
- Pharma & Healthcare: Applied as a quantitative analytical oxidant in titrimetric and spectrophotometric assays requiring a stable, well-characterised Ce(IV) source.
- Plastics & Polymers: Functions as a redox-initiation system for graft copolymerisation onto cellulosic and synthetic substrates, controlling chain growth and grafting efficiency.
Safety & Risks
Classified as an oxidising solid (UN 1477, Class 5.1); not classified as hazardous under GHS. Keep away from combustible materials and reducing agents. Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area in tightly closed containers. Use gloves and safety glasses during handling.
Packaging
1–5 kg bottles or bags for high-purity lots; 25 kg fiber drums for technical and reagent grades. Store sealed, away from moisture and heat.