Ammonium bicarbonate, commonly as baking soda, ammonium hydrogen carbonate, and powdered baking ammonia, is a colorless inorganic compound represented by the chemical formula (NH₄)HCO₃ or CH₅NO₃ ^{[1, 2]}. In IUPAC nomenclature, it is named azanium hydrogen carbonate ^[1]. It decomposes readily into water, ammonia, and carbon dioxide ^[3].

Ammonium Bicarbonate Identification
CAS Number	1066-33-7 [1]
PubChem CID	14013 [1]
ChemSpider ID	13395 [2]
EC Number	213-911-5 [1]
UN Number	3077 [1]
RTECS Number	BO8600000 [1]
InChI Key	ATRRKUHOCOJYRX-UHFFFAOYSA-N [1]

Ammonium Bicarbonate Composition and Synthesis

Its preparation involves the reaction of carbon dioxide and ammonia in a cold condition, with ammonium bicarbonate forming as a solid white precipitate. It is represented by the following equation ^[4]:

NH₃ + CO₂+ H₂O → (NH₄)HCO₃

It was once commercially produced by dry distillation of organic matters like leather, horn, and hair. Also called ammonium sesquicarbonate, the material also produces ammonium carbonate ((NH₄)₂CO₃) and ammonium carbamate (NH₄CO₂NH₂).

Properties and Characteristics of Ammonium Bicarbonate

General Properties
Molar Mass/Molecular Weight	79.055 g/mol [1]
Physical Properties
Color and Appearance	White or colorless [1]
Odor	Faint ammoniacal [8]
Melting Point	41.9 °C, 107.4 °F (decomposes) [1]
Density	1.586 g cm-3 [1]
pH	7.8 [5]
State of matter at room temperature	Crystalline solid [1]
Solubility	Soluble in water, insoluble in acetone, benzene, methanol, and ethanol [1]
Solubility in Water	17.4 g/100 cc at 20 °C [1]

Uses

• As a leavening agent for baked goods like crackers, cookies, and cream-puff doughs in the food industry ^[1].
• Producing ceramics, porous plastics, dyes, and pigments ^[1].
• For scale removal in boilers and as a foaming agent for rubber ^[1]. Removal of gypsum from heat exchangers and processing equipment ^[1].
• Added to compost heaps for accelerating the rate of decomposition and using them as fertilizers ^[1].
• It is a good buffer (because of its volatile nature) in pharmaceutical applications like lyophilization (freeze-drying) for producing injectable and oral dosage forms ^[5].
• Used as a component of human and vet medications ^[1].

Is It Safe

Accidental ingestion of large amounts of ammonium bicarbonate may be harmful and cause serious damage to the health resulting in diarrhea, systemic poisoning, and increased urine production ^[6]. Its inhalation can cause respiratory irritation with the body’s response to the irritation causing further lung damage ^{[1, 6]}. Its contact with skin is also known to cause irritation ^[1].

References
1. Ammonium Bicarbonate – Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2. Ammonium Bicarbonate – Chemspider.com
3. Ammonium Bicarbonate – Sigmaaldrich.com
4. Carbon Dioxide React with Ammonium Hydroxide – Chemiday.com
5. Ammonium bicarbonate (A6141) – Product Information – Sigmaaldrich.com
6. Ammonium Bicarbonate Material Safety Data Sheet – Datasheets.scbt.com