Vol. 5 No. 6 (2026), Articles
Vol. 5 No. 6 (2026)

CALCIUM AMMONIUM NITRATE: PRODUCTION AND PROPERTIES

Articles
Published 2026-10-14
R. M. Kaipova
Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, M. Ulugbek str. 77a, 100071 Tashkent. Republic of Uzbekistan
Sh.S. Namazov
Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, M. Ulugbek str. 77a, 100071 Tashkent. Republic of Uzbekistan
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Keywords

ammonium nitrate, limestone, chalk, dolomite, calcium ammonium nitrate, production, properties.

Abstract

This review examines approaches to mitigating the drawbacks of ammonium nitrate, particularly its caking tendency and explosion hazard, by incorporating calcareous materials into the ammonium nitrate melt. The optimum conditions for producing calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) are outlined. CAN fertilizers containing 20-33% nitrogen are produced worldwide. CAN is more hygroscopic than pure ammonium nitrate owing to calcium nitrate formation. However, its caking tendency is 2.4-3.0 times lower than that of ammonium nitrate. At a nitrogen content not exceeding 28%, CAN does not burn and is not considered an explosive substance even when subjected to strong detonation. Limestone or chalk can be replaced with dolomite in CAN production. Using dolomite not only has no adverse effect but also increases crop yields compared with conventionally produced CAN. Establishing the production of dolomite-based CAN with a lower carbonate mineral content and a higher nitrogen content is also promising for Uzbekistan, with its neutral and alkaline soils. Further investigation is needed into the composition and properties of CAN obtained by reacting dolomites from Uzbekistan with molten ammonium nitrate.

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