Product Overview
Ammonium Hydroxide 29% Technical Grade is a concentrated aqueous ammonia solution built for industrial-scale pH control, surface cleaning, and chemical processing. At 29% concentration, this is a strong alkaline reagent — it delivers meaningful neutralization capacity per gallon while remaining a pourable liquid that operators can meter, dilute, and dose on the plant floor.
Technical Grade means this product is procured for industrial process work — water treatment, metal surface preparation, cleaning formulation, fertilizer blending — where the operational performance of the ammonia solution matters more than analytical-grade purity benchmarks. If your process requires a tighter purity specification with documented assay, consider Ammonium Hydroxide 29% ACS Grade instead.
Alliance Chemical offers this product in pack sizes from 1-quart bottles through 330-gallon totes, covering everything from bench trials to continuous-feed production loops.
Why This Concentration
A 29% solution sits at the practical ceiling for aqueous ammonia that ships and handles as a liquid under standard industrial conditions. Higher concentrations push vapor pressure toward levels that demand specialized closed-system transfer equipment and tighter exposure controls. Lower concentrations — 10%, 15%, 20% — reduce the ammonia delivered per unit volume, which means more drums on the dock and more change-outs at the feed pump.
For pH control in wastewater or process water, 29% lets operators dial in alkalinity with smaller dose volumes compared to dilute grades, cutting chemical inventory and reducing the frequency of tote swaps on bulk feed systems. For cleaning and degreasing, the higher ammonia content attacks grease films and organic residue more aggressively per pass.
The trade-off is handling discipline. At 29%, the solution off-gasses ammonia vapor readily — especially in warm environments — so ventilation, vapor-rated PPE, and ammonia-compatible containment are non-negotiable. Operators who need that concentration but require documented analytical purity for QC sign-off should evaluate the ACS Grade variant.
Chemical Profile
This product is a colorless liquid with an intense, pungent, suffocating ammonia odor that is immediately recognizable and serves as its own exposure warning. The solution has a density of 0.90 at 29% w/w and 20 °C — lighter than water, which matters when calculating tank volumes and pump head. It is fully miscible with water at all proportions, making dilution straightforward. Vapor pressure is high: ammonia off-gasses from solution at approximately 1.5 atm at 25 °C for concentrated aqueous ammonia, so sealed containers and vented storage are essential. The molecular formula is H₅NO with a molecular weight of 35.046 g/mol. CAS Number: 1336-21-6.
Industrial Applications
pH Adjustment in Water Treatment. Ammonium hydroxide is a workhorse base for raising pH in municipal and industrial wastewater streams. Operators dose it into acidic effluent to hit discharge permit targets, and its liquid form makes it compatible with standard chemical metering pumps. Unlike solid caustics, it dissolves and disperses instantly on contact — no mixing energy needed.
Industrial Cleaning and Degreasing. The ammonia in solution cuts through grease, oils, and organic films on metal and hard surfaces. Maintenance crews use diluted ammonium hydroxide to clean process equipment, tanks, and production floors where petroleum-based solvents are restricted or undesirable.
Chemical Processing and Synthesis. Ammonium hydroxide serves as a nitrogen source and pH-adjusting reagent in a wide range of chemical manufacturing operations — from producing ammonium salts to catalyzing base-driven reactions like saponification.
Fertilizer Production. Agricultural chemical producers use aqueous ammonia as a nitrogen feedstock in blending nitrogen-based fertilizer formulations, where the liquid form simplifies metering and mixing compared to anhydrous ammonia.
Laboratory and Analytical Use. QC labs and analytical facilities use ammonium hydroxide in titrations, sample preparation, and pH buffering. For lab work requiring tighter purity control, the ACS Grade is typically specified.
Handling & Storage
Ammonium Hydroxide 29% carries a Danger signal word (per the product's GHS classification). The hazard statements govern how you handle it:
- H290: May be corrosive to metals (per the product's GHS classification)
- H302: Harmful if swallowed (per the product's GHS classification)
- H314: Causes severe skin burns and eye damage (per the product's GHS classification)
- H335: May cause respiratory irritation (per the product's GHS classification)
- H400: Very toxic to aquatic life (per the product's GHS classification)
Store in a cool, well-ventilated area. Ammonia vapor accumulates in enclosed spaces and can reach hazardous concentrations quickly — forced ventilation or outdoor storage with overhead cover is standard practice. Use HDPE or polyethylene containers; ammonium hydroxide corrodes copper, brass, zinc, and aluminum on contact. Keep containers tightly sealed when not actively dispensing to limit vapor loss and concentration drift.
PPE requirements: chemical splash goggles, face shield, nitrile or butyl rubber gloves, and a chemical-resistant apron at minimum. In poorly ventilated areas or during bulk transfers, use a full-face respirator with ammonia-rated cartridges. Keep incompatible materials — strong acids, oxidizers, and reactive metals — physically separated in storage.
Hazmat & Shipping
Ammonium Hydroxide 29% is regulated for transport as a hazardous material. Every shipment from Alliance Chemical ships with proper DOT documentation and labeling. The classification details, each governed by federal transport regulation:
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UN Number: UN2672 (per 49 CFR 172.101)
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Proper Shipping Name: AMMONIA SOLUTIONS (per 49 CFR 172.101)
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Hazard Class: 8 — Corrosive (per 49 CFR 172.101)
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Packing Group: III (per 49 CFR 172.101)
Class 8, Packing Group III means this product is classified as corrosive with a lower relative transport hazard within that class. All packaging, marking, and placarding requirements follow from these designations. Buyers receiving hazmat freight should confirm their facility can accept Class 8 corrosive deliveries.
Documentation
A Safety Data Sheet ships with every order and is available in English, Spanish, French, and Japanese. A Technical Data Sheet is also available for process reference. Lot-specific Certificates of Analysis are available on request, documenting the actual assay and specifications for the production lot you receive — useful for incoming QC checks and process validation records.
Why Buy from Alliance Chemical
This product ships in pack sizes from 1-quart bottles through 330-gallon totes — whether you need a single gallon for a bench trial or a full tote for a continuous-feed pH control system, the packaging range matches the job. Alliance Chemical has served over 50,000 customers since 1998, and all hazmat shipping guidance on this page has been reviewed by Andre Taki, DOT Hazmat Specialist (USDOT #2188383).
