1. Metalworking and Metallurgy

This is the most dominant industrial use. It is used as a flux in preparing metals for tin coating, galvanizing, or soldering.

• Cleaning Agent: It cleans the surface of the workpiece by reacting with the metal oxides on the surface to form a volatile metal chloride, ensuring a strong bond with the solder or coating
• Galvanizing: In the hot-dip galvanizing process, it prevents the formation of new oxides before the steel is dipped into molten zinc

2. Battery Manufacturing

• Dry – Cell Batteries: Ammonium chloride is a key component in the production of dry-cell batteries (specifically Zinc-Carbon and Magnesium-Carbon batteries).
• Electrolyte: It serves as the electrolyte paste that facilitates the flow of ions between the anode and the cathode

3. Leather and Textile Industries

• Leather Tanning: It is used in the "bating" process to neutralize the lime used in dehairing hides, which helps soften the leather
• Textile Dyeing: It acts as a catalyst in textile printing and as a levelling agent to ensure dyes are applied evenly to cotton and other natural fibres

4. Other Industrial Applications

• Chemical Feedstock: Used as a raw material to produce other ammonium compounds or as a buffer in chemical synthesis
• Oil & Gas: Used in "clay stabilizers" to prevent clay swelling during oil well drilling
• Electronics: Utilized in the etching process for printed circuit boards (PCBs)
• Food Industry: Often labelled as E510, it is used as a yeast nutrient in bread making and to provide the distinct "salty" kick in Nordic salt liquorice
• Wood Industry: It is used as a special paste for wood burning / art. Effectively functions as a flame retardant and as an adhesion aid for preparing wood surfaces