NITROGEN DIOXIDE

Description

nitrogen dioxide is a reddish-brown gas (or yellow liquid) with a strong, acrid odor. Nitrogen dioxide readily dimerizes to produce N2O4.nitrogen dioxide are nonfl ammable, toxic gases.The federal government has established air quality standards for nitrogen dioxide at 0.053 partsper million (ppm), which equals 100μg (micrograms) per cubic meter.Nitrogen dioxide is highly soluble in water and forms nitric acid (HNO3), and nitric oxide is slightly soluble and forms nitrous acid (HNO2).
Nitrogen dioxide is a strong oxidizing agent and causes corrosion.Nitrogen dioxide is used as an oxidizing agent, a catalyst in oxidation reactions, an inhibitor, as a nitrating agent for organic reactions, as a flour bleaching agent, and in increasing the wet strength of paper.

The Uses of NITROGEN DIOXIDE

Nitrogen dioxide is an intermediate in producing nitric acid. It also is used in the lead chamber process for making sulfuric acid. It is used as a nitrating and oxidizing agent, in rocket fuels, in the manufacture of hemostatic cotton and other oxidized cellulose compounds, and in bleaching flour. Nitrogen dioxide occurs in trace concentrations in the atmosphere due to oxidation of nitric oxide in air. It also is found in exhaust gases of internal combustion engines, in industrial waste gases from plants using nitric acid, and in cigarette smoke. Brown color of smog in many industrial urban areas is attributed to nitrogen dioxide.