Rubidium nitrate
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![]() Unit cell of rubidium nitrate
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Names | |
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IUPAC name
Rubidium nitrate
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Identifiers | |
3D model (JSmol)
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ChemSpider | |
EC Number |
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PubChem CID
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RTECS number |
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Properties | |
RbNO3 | |
Molar mass | 147.473 g/mol |
Appearance | White hygroscopic solid |
Density | 3.11 g/cm3 |
Melting point | 310 °C (590 °F; 583 K) decomposes |
Boiling point | 578 °C (1,072 °F; 851 K) |
44.28 g/100 mL (16 °C) 65.0 g/100 mL (25 °C)[1] | |
−41.0·10−6 cm3/mol | |
Refractive index (nD)
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1.524 |
Structure[2] | |
trigonal | |
P31 | |
a = 10.474 Å, c = 7.443 Å
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Lattice volume (V)
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707.2 Å3 |
Hazards | |
Occupational safety and health (OHS/OSH): | |
Main hazards
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Oxidant |
NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | <imagemap>
File:NFPA 704.svg|80px|alt=NFPA 704 four-colored diamond poly 150 150 300 300 150 450 0 300 Health 1: Exposure would cause irritation but only minor residual injury. E.g. turpentine poly 300 0 450 150 300 300 150 150 Flammability 0: Will not burn. E.g. water poly 450 150 600 300 450 450 300 300 Instability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogen poly 300 300 450 450 300 600 150 450 Special hazard OX: Oxidizer. E.g. potassium perchlorate desc none </imagemap> |
Flash point | Non-flammable |
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC): | |
LD50 (median dose)
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4625 mg/kg (rat, oral) |
Related compounds | |
Other anions
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Rubidium sulfate Rubidium chloride |
Other cations
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Lithium nitrate Sodium nitrate Potassium nitrate Caesium nitrate |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Rubidium nitrate is an inorganic compound with the formula RbNO3. This alkali metal nitrate salt is white and highly soluble in water.
Properties

Rubidium nitrate is a white crystalline powder that is highly soluble in water and very slightly soluble in acetone. In a flame test, RbNO3 gives a mauve/light purple colour.
Uses
Rubidium compounds have very few applications.[1] Like caesium nitrate, it is used in infrared radiation optics, in pyrotechnic compositions as a pyrotechnic colorant and as an oxidizer, e.g. in decoys and illumination flares although it is rarely used in fireworks to produce a red-violet colour. It is also used as a raw material for preparation of other rubidium compounds and rubidium metal, for manufacture of catalysts and in scintillation counters.
Production
RbNO3 can be prepared either by dissolving rubidium metal, its hydroxide or carbonate in nitric acid.
- RbOH + HNO3 → RbNO3 + H2O
- Rb2CO3 + 2 HNO3 → 2 RbNO3 + CO2 + H2O
- 2 Rb + 2 HNO3 → 2 RbNO3 + H2
References
- ^ 1.0 1.1 W. Lenk, H. Prinz, A. Steinmetz,"Rubidium and Rubidium Compounds" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim. doi:10.1002/14356007.a23_473.pub2
- ^ Jutta Pohl, Dieter Pohl, Gunadi Adiwidjaja (1992). "Phase Transition in Rubidium Nitrate at 346 K and Structure at 296, 372, 413 and 437 K". Acta Crystallographica Section B. B48 (2): 160–166. doi:10.1107/S0108768191013459.
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