[Ballistic]

Hi there, I've done a search but can't find anything on this...

In smelling salts, Ammonia is released from Ammonium Carbonate which breaks down around normal low \ room temperature.

Ammonium Bicarbonate however, which is easily available on ebay, is slightly more stable, breaks down at 36 degrees. If I wanted to use Ammonium Bicarbonate to make smelling salts, is there anything I could mix it with to release the ammonia extremely slowly at lower temperatures? (I have been infomed it reacts with alkaline)?

Any help appreciated.

[Ballistic]

ok, lets put it another way, the formula is NH4(C(=O)OHO), and wiki tells me reactions with alkalis give ammonia. So how would I predict what would happen or what the foremula would be if I mixed NH4(C(=O)OHO) with an alkaline like NaHCO3 or Ca(OH)2?
any help appreciated.

[Stepan]

ok, lets put it another way, the formula is NH4(C(=O)OHO), and wiki tells me reactions with alkalis give ammonia. So how would I predict what would happen or what the foremula would be if I mixed NH4(C(=O)OHO) with an alkaline like NaHCO3 or Ca(OH)2?
any help appreciated.

(NH4)HCO3+Ca(OH)->CaCO3+H2O+NH3

Do not do it on large scale (>10g), the volume of gases can be too large and it may pop (the same like soda and vinegar).

[Ballistic]

thanks for your reply. I gave it a go but I had to mix water in to get a reaction, and I know the Calcium Hydroxide reacts quite well with water so do you think that affected the experiment at all? Other than that, it did give off Ammonia but it didn't produce very much or last very long?

[Stepan]

You should not try to run this process.  Try to learn chemistry first before you harm yourself and people around you.

As I mentioned before, the reaction will go out of control. The produced heat will make liquid to boil, which will be accompanied by instantaneous release of large volume of steam and hot ammonia gas. Boiling alkaline mud will splatter everywhere. The released ammonia is toxic and corrosive to eyes, lungs and skin. And when I say corrosive I do not mean a light burn.

The reaction is dangerous and self destructing. It seems like you do not have chemical experience. You should not try to run this process. 

[Ballistic]

I understand your concern, but having already tried it with half a gram of each and some water, I didn't see much of a violent reaction at all. I don't doubt you at all, but I would point out that both of these substances are available in safety tested chemistry sets for children.