Ammonium chloride has many uses, including:
Fertilizer: A nitrogen source in fertilizers
Medicine: An expectorant in cough medicine and to treat metabolic alkalosis
Dry batteries: A component of dry batteries
Glue: A component of glue that bonds plywood
Food additive: A yeast nutrient in bread making
Soldering flux: A component of fluxes used in soldering, tinning, and galvanizing
Pickling agent: A pickling agent in zinc coating and tinning
Hair shampoo: A thickening agent in ammonium-based surfactant systems
Cleaning products: A component of cleaning products
Textile and leather industry: Used in dyeing, tanning, textile printing, and cotton clustering
Woodworking: A solution of ammonium chloride and water can be used to brand unfinished wood
Oil wells: A 5% aqueous solution of ammonium chloride can be used to treat clay swelling problems in oil wells
Ammonium chloride is a white, odorless solid that is soluble in water, ethanol, methanol, and glycerol. It is slightly soluble in acetone but insoluble in organic solvents like ethyl acetate.