NaNO3
Sodium nitrate · Chile saltpeter, Soda niter
Sodium nitrate is a stable, insulating salt widely utilized as a source of nitrogen in fertilizers and as a functional component in industrial thermal storage.

About Sodium nitrate
Sodium nitrate is a thermodynamically stable inorganic compound that exhibits wide-band-gap insulating behavior. Its structural versatility is highlighted by its presence in numerous reported configurations across multiple databases, reflecting its fundamental importance in chemical research and industrial applications.
As a key nitrogen-bearing material, it serves as a vital precursor in various chemical syntheses. Its stable nature makes it a reliable component in high-temperature thermal storage systems and agricultural chemistry, where its solubility and chemical properties are leveraged for efficient nutrient delivery.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Sodium nitrate, aggregated across 3 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Applications
Where Sodium nitrate is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Sodium nitrate, answered from cross-validated data.
What is NaNO3?
Sodium nitrate is a stable, insulating salt widely utilized as a source of nitrogen in fertilizers and as a functional component in industrial thermal storage.
What is NaNO3 used for?
What is the band gap of NaNO3?
Is NaNO3 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is NaNO3 thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of NaNO3 are known?
What elements does NaNO3 contain?
Where does the data for NaNO3 come from?
How It Compares
As a prominent and widely utilized nitrate salt, this compound serves as a benchmark for stability and performance within its chemical class, setting the standard for ionic solids used in industrial thermal and agricultural applications.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
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