Uses

IWFNA may be used as the oxidizer in liquid fuel rockets.IRFNA was one of 3 liquid fuel components for the BOMARC missile

A solution of nitric acid and alcohol, Nital, is used for etching of metals to reveal the microstructure.

Commercially available aqueous blends of 5-30% nitric acid and 15-40% phosphoric acid are commonly used for cleaning food and dairy equipment primarily to remove precipitated calcium and magnesium compounds (either deposited from the process stream or resulting from the use of hard water during production and cleaning).

Digestion

In elemental analysis by ICP-MS and ICP-AES, dilute nitric acid (0.5 to 2.0 %) is used as a matrix compound for determining metal traces in solutions. Ultrapure acid is required for such determination, because small amounts of metal ions could affect the result of the analysis.

Woodworking

In a low concentration (approximately 10%), nitric acid is often used to artificially age pine and maple. The color produced is a grey-gold very much like very old wax or oil finished wood (wood finishing).

Other uses

Alone, it is useful in metallurgy and refining as it reacts with most metals, and in organic syntheses. When mixed with hydrochloric acid, nitric acid forms aqua regia, one of the few reagents capable of dissolving gold and platinum.