How to Make Crystals From Ammonia & Sulphuric Acid

Combining chemicals and producing something else can be fascinating and fun. Some experiments have a more dramatic result than mixing ammonia and sulphuric acid, but with a little time, you can make your own crystalline ammonium sulphate.

Things You'll Need

• Goggles
• Mask
• Heavy duty vinyl or rubber apron
• Heavy duty vinyl or rubber gloves
• Graduated cylinder
• Beaker
• Ammonia
• Sulfuric acid

Instructions

1. Put on the goggles, face mask, apron and gloves. Even if only performing an experiment with small quantities, you always need to be safe.

2. Dissolve 1 part sulphuric acid into 2 parts ammonia in a beaker. Always add the acid to the other agent, rather than the other way around.

3. Allow the beaker to sit and evaporate as slurry forms at the bottom of the beaker. The slurry eventually produces larger crystals as the solution evaporates. The amount of time evaporation takes depends on the humidity in your area.

Tips & Warnings

• When working with corrosive and potentially toxic materials such as ammonia and sulphuric acid, always work in a well-ventilated area, wearing goggles, masks, vinyl aprons and heavy duty vinyl gloves.

• Do not heat your evaporating ammonium sulfate, because it begins to deteriorate to ammonium bisulfate around the boiling point of water. It is best to just let it evaporate at room temperature.

References

• OSH Work Safely with Sulfuric Acid
• Ammonium Sulfate Chemistry Information
• Crystalline Ammonium Sulphate Manufacturing Process

Resources

• Hill Brothers Material Safety Sheet: Aqueous Ammonia