Ammonia

Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula NH3. A stable binary
hydride, and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colorless gas with a characteristic
pungent smell. It is a common nitrogenous waste, particularly among aquatic organisms, and it
contributes significantly to the nutritional needs of terrestrial organisms by serving as a precursor
to food and fertilizers. Ammonia, both directly or indirectly, is also a building block for the
synthesis of many pharmaceutical products and is used in many commercial cleaning products.

Some chemical/physical properties of ammonia:

 At room temperature, ammonia is a colorless, highly irritating gas with a pungent,

suffocating odor.

 In pure form, it is known as anhydrous ammonia and is hygroscopic (readily absorbs

moisture).

 Ammonia has alkaline properties and is corrosive.

 Ammonia gas dissolves easily in water to form ammonium hydroxide, a caustic solution
and weak base.

 Ammonia gas is easily compressed and forms a clear liquid under pressure.
Uses of ammonia

Talking about the uses of ammonia, it is the most important or building-block chemical and in
the manufacture of products that people make use of every day. So let’s see where it is used.

 Ammonia in Industries
 Agriculture
 Household Products
 For Manufacturing Various Compounds
 Metal Treating
 Petroleum
 Agricultural uses: Production of ammonia is important as it is one of the main
components in making fertilisers.
 Explosives: Ammonia produced is used in making nitro-based explosives including TNT,
RDX, etc.
 Pharma: It is used in manufacturing certain types of drugs such as sulfonamide,
antimalarials, and vitamins such as thiamine and nicotinamide.
  Refrigeration: It is also used in large-scale refrigeration plants, air-conditioning units in
Buildings, etc.
 Consumer Products: Ammonia is used in various cleaning products and acts as an
effective cleaning agent.

Manufacturing:
Haber's process is used for manufacturing ammonia.
N2(g)+32(g)⇌2NH3(g) ΔfHo=−46.1kJ/mol
Optimum conditions (to obtain maximum yield of ammonia) are around 200 atm pressure, 700K
temperature and a catalyst containing iron oxide with small amounts of K2O and Al2O3. The reaction
is reversible exothermic reaction and optimum conditions mentioned above are in accordance with Le
Chatelier's principle.
Haber's process:
1. In the Haber process, we take nitrogen gas from the air and combine it with hydrogen
atom obtained from natural gas in the ratio 1:3 by volume.
2. The gases are passed through four beds of catalyst, with cooling takes place in each
pass. This is done to maintain equilibrium constant.
3. While different levels of conversion occur in each pass where unreacted gases are
recycled.
4. Normally an iron catalyst is used in the process, and the whole procedure is conducted
by maintaining a temperature of around 400 – 450oC and a pressure of 150 – 200 atm.
5. The process also involves steps like shift conversion, carbon dioxide removal, steam
reforming, and methanation.
6. In the final stage of the process, the ammonia gas is cooled down to form a liquid
solution which is then collected and stored in storage containers.
The harber process for the synthesis of ammonia is based on the reaction of nitrogen and
hydrogen. The chemical reaction is given below. Notably, in this process, the reaction is
an exothermic reaction one where there is a release of energy.
N2(g) + 3H2(g) → 2NH3(g)
Nitrogen in the reaction is obtained by separating nitrogen from the air through liquefaction and
hydrogen is obtained from natural gas by steam reforming.
CH4(g) + H2O → H2(g) + CO(g)
According to Le Chatteleir principle, the production of ammonia is favoured by high pressure
and low temperature. The Haber process is typically carried out at pressures between 200 and
400 atmospheres and temperature of 500oC. In the commercial production of ammonia, NH3 is
continuously removed as it is produced. Removing the products causes more nitrogen and
hydrogen to combine according to Le Chatelier’s principle.