Production of -NaNO and NaNO by Ball Milling NaO and NO in Alkali Metal Halide Salts.

Ball milling of sodium oxides and alkali metal halide salts under a pressure of 2 atm nitrous oxide at temperatures of 38 ± 4 °C is reported. After 2.5 h of ball milling, FTIR data for both NO and NO additions show conclusively that -NaNO is formed based on excellent agreement with data reported earlier by Jansen and Feldmann who prepared pure crystalline -NaNO by reaction of sodium oxide and nitrous oxide for 2 h at 360 °C in a tube furnace. Continued ball milling under nitrous oxide leads to slow buildup of NaNO with yields on the order of 24% achieved in 20 h. Production of nitrate only occurs during active ball milling. Studies over the first 10 h reveal a trend among potassium halide salts: KBr ≅ KCl > KI ≫ KF. Ball milling of sodium oxide alone under an atmosphere of NO gives much lower yields than ball milling in the presence of added alkali metal halide salt. Ball milling of sodium oxide and nitrous oxide in fluorocarbon oil, silicone oil, calcium fluoride, clinoptilolite, molecular sieves, and silica gel does not lead to significant yields of either -NaNO or NaNO.