odium nitrate, the melting point is 306.8 ℃, and density 306.8 g/cm3 (20 ℃). It is colorless transparent or white microstrip yellow diamond crystals. Its taste is bitter and salty, easily dissolve in water and liquid ammonia, slightly soluble in glycerol and ethanol, easy deliquescence, especially when containing a very small amount of sodium chloride impurities, sodium nitrate hydrolysis greatly increased. When dissolved in water, the solution temperature drops and the solution is neutral. When heated, sodium nitrate readily decomposes into sodium nitrite and oxygen. Sodium nitrate can help with combustion and should be stored in a cool and ventilated place. Oxidation, friction or impact with organic matter can cause combustion or explosion.

In particular, the deliquescence of sodium nitrate is greatly increased when thimbleful of sodium chloride is contained. When dissolved in water, the solution temperature is reduced and the solution is neutral. When heated, sodium nitrate is easily decomposed into sodium nitrite and oxygen. It must be stored in a cool and ventilated place due to Sodium nitrate is combustion-supporting, which can result in combustion or explosion when friction or struck with organic materials.

Applications:
In enamel industry, it is used as flux, oxidant and raw material for the preparation of enamel powder.
In glass industry, it is used as decolorant, defoamer, clarifying agent and oxidizing flux for all kinds of glass and products.
In inorganic industry, it is used as a decolorizing agent for molten caustic soda and for the manufacture of other nitrates. 
In food industry, it is used as achromogenic reagent for meat-packing, which can flavour and prevent meat from degenerate.
In fertilizer industry, it is used as quick acting fertilizer for acidic soil, especially for root crops, such as sugar beet and radish.
It is used as raw material for the production of picric acid and dyes in dyeing industry; used as heat treatment agent for steelmaking and aluminum alloy in metallurgical industry; used as metal cleaning agent and black metal bluing agent in mechanical industry; used as a medium for penicillin in pharmaceutical industry; used as a combustion supporting agent for tobacco in cigarette industry; used as a chemical reagent in analytical chemistry; it is also used to produce explosives and so on. In addition, pure sodium nitrate is used for low chromate passivation in zinc plating and oxidation solution in magnesium alloys.

Risk of explosion: strong oxidation, friction or impact with organic materials or phosphorus, sulfur can lead to combustion or explosion.

Storage attentions: stored in a cool, ventilated warehouse. Stay away from fire and heat.  The temperature of the storehouse should be not more than 30℃, and the relative humidity should be lower than 80%. It should be stored separately with reducing agent, active metal powder, acid, inflammable or combustible materials and so on. The storage area should be equipped with suitable material for leakage.