Hydrazine Hydrate

Brief overview

Hydrazine hydrate is represented as H4 N2 . x H2 O. It is a colorless, flammable liquid with an ammonia-like odor. Pure anhydrous hydrazine was first prepared by the Dutch chemist Lobry de Bruyn in 1895. Hydrazine hydrate is toxic and must be handled with extreme care. Potential routes of hydrazine hydrate entering our body are through skin, eyes, by inhaling and by ingestion. Hydrazine is used in a wide range of industrial applications. It is used in the pharmaceutical industry, in agrochemicals, in fertilizers, in manufacturing polymer foams, and so on. . 

Manufacturing process

Peroxide process – Hydrazine hydrate can be produced using ammonia and hydrogen peroxide. → Chlorine-based reactions – Sodium hypochlorite and ammonia is mixed together to form hydrazine. The process is called Olin Raschig process.

Agrochemicals Hydrazine hydrate is used in fungicides, pesticides, insecticides and other propellants that are used for mitigating agents that could destroy crops,plants.

Pharmaceuticals It is used in the manufacture of several medicines and bioactive compounds like cefazolin, metribuzin, paclobutrazol etc.

Aviation Hydrazine hydrate has been used as rocket fuel since World War II. It is used as a low power propellant to give thrust to the spacecraft.

Research purposes Hydrazine is supposedly a good alternative for hydrogen in fuel cells. Hydrazine is being studied extensively in the field of electrochemistry.