The Chemistry of the Hydrazine–Hydroxylamine–Nitric Acid System at High Temperatures

The kinetics of decomposition of hydrazine and hydroxylamine in concentrated nitric acid at 70°C establish a critical concentration [hydrazine]≈5×10–4 mol dm–3 below which a rapid autocalalytic decomposition of hydroxylamine occurs; this corresponds to the rate of nitrite scavenging by hydrazine balancing the rate of N2O4 formation.