Nitric Acid 5%

Product Overview

Nitric Acid 5% is a pre-diluted aqueous solution of nitric acid, characterized by its chemical formula HNO3 and a molecular weight of 63.013. This specific dilution offers industrial operators a highly controlled, ready-to-use acidic agent that minimizes the hazards and exothermic heat generation associated with mixing concentrated nitric acid on-site. As an essential chemical feedstock distributed by Alliance Chemical, this product serves various critical roles across multiple sectors, including surface treatment, metal finishing, and specialized industrial cleaning processes where higher concentrations of nitric acid would be too aggressive or difficult to manage safely. We manage the precise blending of this solution to ensure batch-to-batch consistency and high operational reliability. Explore our full range of mineral acids to find the exact formulation for your needs.

For facilities utilizing acids, sourcing a stable pre-formulated dilution like our Nitric Acid 5% significantly streamlines logistics and operational safety protocols. Since handling raw concentrated acids requires specialized infrastructure, secondary containment, and rigorous ventilation, using a standardized 5% concentration minimizes risks to personnel while maintaining the reactive efficiency needed for target processes. Whether you are using it as an etchant, a pH adjuster, or a cleaning agent within closed-loop industrial systems, this solution delivers consistent chemical activity. Alliance Chemical distributes this product across a range of packaging options, from convenient 1-liter bottles up to bulk 55-gallon drums, ensuring that both laboratory-scale testing and full-scale manufacturing facilities receive the exact volume required for their workflows.

Why This Grade

Selecting the correct concentration of nitric acid is paramount for preventing substrate damage, uncontrolled reactions, or process failures. Our Nitric Acid 5% provides a precise concentration designed for operations where stronger solutions, such as 68% or 70% nitric acid, would cause excessive oxidation, rapid substrate degradation, or dangerous runaway thermal events. If a process engineer attempts to use an off-spec or over-concentrated acid, they risk destroying sensitive metal parts during pickling or etching, leading to costly manufacturing scrap and equipment downtime. This 5% concentration is carefully balanced to provide sufficient hydronium ion activity for surface preparation without compromising the structural integrity of the underlying material.

Conversely, using an under-concentrated or poorly blended alternative will fail to achieve the required chemical action, such as incomplete passivation of stainless steel or insufficient descaling of industrial equipment. This failure mode results in incomplete oxide layer formation, leaving metals vulnerable to premature atmospheric corrosion and system contamination. By utilizing our pre-diluted Nitric Acid 5%, industrial operators eliminate the compounding errors introduced by manual, in-house dilution processes, which frequently suffer from concentration drift and contamination. Choosing this pre-blended solution ensures a highly predictable reaction rate, reducing quality control issues and maintaining the standardized processing times required in modern industrial manufacturing pipelines.

Industrial Applications

• Metal Pickling and Surface Treatment: Used to remove oxides, scale, and impurities from the surfaces of copper, brass, and stainless steel components before subsequent plating or coating operations.
• Stainless Steel Passivation: Applied in chemical baths to remove free iron from the surface of stainless steel, promoting the formation of a protective passive chromium oxide layer.
• Industrial Equipment Descaling: Utilized as a descaling agent in heat exchangers, boilers, and industrial piping networks to dissolve mineral scale deposits without damaging the underlying metal.
• Chemical Synthesis Feedstock: Serves as a precise, low-concentration reagent in specialized synthesis pathways and laboratory testing procedures where controlled pH adjustment is required.
• Semiconductor and Electronics Cleaning: Employed in the electronics manufacturing industry for precision cleaning of silicon wafers and etching oxide layers in controlled cleanroom environments.

Hazmat & Shipping

Although this product is a 5% dilution, it remains a fully regulated substance due to its corrosive nature. Under DOT 49 CFR regulations, Nitric Acid 5% is classified and transported as UN2031, Hazard Class 8, Packing Group II. The proper shipping name is Nitric acid, other than red fuming, with less than 65 percent nitric acid. This regulation mandates that all shipments comply with strict safety packaging, labeling, and documentation requirements. The designated signal word for this product is Danger. It is imperative that all transport and receiving personnel are fully trained in handling hazardous materials and understand the physical hazards associated with Class 8 corrosive liquids.

Due to the hazard statements H272, H314, and H330, personnel handling this chemical must wear comprehensive personal protective equipment (PPE). This includes chemical-resistant splash goggles, a full-face shield, acid-resistant gloves (such as neoprene or nitrile), and protective aprons or suits. Proper engineering controls, including local exhaust ventilation, must be operational to prevent the inhalation of corrosive vapors. The GHS classification for this 5% concentration lists no pictograms, but requires adherence to severe hazard warnings. To ensure compliance and workplace safety, a complete Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is provided with every order, detailing the exact safety protocols, exposure limits, and emergency response procedures required under federal and state regulations.

Handling & Storage

Nitric Acid 5% must be stored in its original, tightly closed containers in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, away from direct sunlight and incompatible materials. The ideal storage temperature should be maintained between 40°F and 80°F to prevent thermal expansion or freezing. Nitric acid is highly incompatible with strong bases, active metals, organic materials, reducing agents, and combustible substances. Contact with incompatible materials can cause rapid decomposition and hazardous gas release. Ensure that storage areas are equipped with acid-resistant secondary containment structures and that spill kits containing appropriate neutralizing agents are readily accessible in case of accidental releases.

Order & Documentation

Alliance Chemical provides comprehensive support and documentation for all chemical acquisitions. A Certificate of Analysis (COA) is available upon request for every lot shipped, allowing your quality assurance team to verify concentration and purity parameters prior to process integration. We maintain an extensive inventory of packaging sizes to meet your facility's specific demands. To initiate an order or obtain regulatory documentation, please contact our technical sales team directly. You can easily Request a Quote for bulk volumes, or you can Download the SDS directly from our online portal to update your facility's hazard communication binders.

Why Buy from Alliance Chemical

Since 1997, Alliance Chemical has supplied premium industrial chemicals from Taylor, Texas under CAGE Code 1LT50, with a COA and SDS included on every order. For industrial use only.