Ammonia

NH3

This is not the ammonia story:

This is a story about ammonium nitrate
Why do we need ammonium nitrate?
What chemicals do we need to make ammonium nitrate?
Who played a part in the process development?
What is the chemistry of the process including the Haber
process?
This isnt the only part of the learning:
We will look at:
Reversible equilibria
Le Chateliers principle
Percentage composition
Neutralisation
Balancing equations
Oxidation and reduction

Ammonium Nitrate
In the first part of the twentieth century the Worlds ability
to produce food to feed an expanding population was in
doubt.
Fertilisers with a source of nitrogen were known, such as
caliche nitrates from South America, but these were getting
expenses as resources ran out. Also, the concentration of
nitrogen in these minerals was low.

Chemists knew that if they could manufacture ammonium

nitrate, they would have a good source of nitrogen. However,
an industrial method to make ammonia had not been found
and was essential to making both ammonium and nitrates.

Percentage Composition
Element

Ar

Mg
Na
N
O
H

24.3
23.1
14.0
16.0
1.0

Lets look at the nitrogen contents of:

Magnesium nitrate
Sodium nitrate
Ammonium nitrate

Mg(NO3)2
NaNO3
NH4NO3

% composition = ( nitrogen (by mass) / total mass (Mr) ) x 100

Mg(NO3)2

NaNO3

NH4NO3

Mass N

28.0

14.0

28.0

Mr

148.3

85.1

80.0

% composition

18.9

16.5

35.0

If we could make ammonia,

how could we make ammonium nitrate?
ammonia

ammonia

dissolves in water
to make

is oxidised and the

gas produced is
dissolved in water
to make

ammonium hydroxide
(= ammonia solution)

nitric acid

these are neutralised to make

ammonium nitrate
So the World chemists knew the process, but how could they
make enough ammonia. This takes us to the start of the story.

The Haber Process

Fritz Haber

We know this process as the Haber Process,

but in many parts of the world it is called
the Haber-Bosch process in honour of one
of Habers colleagues who also helped in the
development.

N2(g) + 3H2(g)

Carl Bosch

2NH3(g)

How do we get the nitrogen and hydrogen to

Carry out this reaction?
How do we get them to react?
Remember, nitrogen is 78% of the air and very unreactive!

Raw materials for the Haber Process

Nitrogen
From air: By burning
hydrogen with oxygen
in air, the remainder is
largely nitrogen.

Hydrogen
Produced in the reaction
of methane and steam.

The Haber Process

and Le Chateliers Principle
Le Chateliers Principle states that whatever
is done to a reaction, the reaction will act to
oppose it.
Example: If a product in an reversible
reaction is removed,more product will be
produced to re-establish the equilibrium

Henri Louis
Le Chatelier

It may be applied to pressure, temperature

and concentrations of reactants and products.

N2(g) + 3H2(g)

2NH3(g)

Exothermic in the
forward direction
-92 kJ mol-1

1. Pressure. The amount of pressure exerted is proportional to the

number of molecules. 4 molecules in the reactants, 2 molecules in
the products. Increase the pressure and the reaction opposes it by
moving to reduce the pressure towards the products.
2. Temperature. Increasing the temperature will always increase the
rates in both directions at equilibrium. This is an exothermic reaction.
increasing the temperature will be opposed by moving towards the
reactants in the endothermic direction. This needs to be a compromise
between increased rate and low yield.
3. Remove the products and the reaction will oppose the change by
making more products.

Le Chateliers Principle states that whatever

is done to a reaction, the reaction will act to
oppose it.

N2(g) + 3H2(g)
Pressure:
Temperature:
Catalyst:

200 atm
450oC
Iron

2NH3(g)

(maximum safe pressure)

(compromise between rate and yield)
(used to increase the rate)

Finally, the ammonia is removed in a

condenser/cooler condensing it into a
liquid. This removes the product and
the reaction acts to restore the
equilibrium by making more.

Unused gases are recycled.

Exothermic in the
forward direction
-92 kJ mol-1

Ammonium hydroxide
Ammonia dissolves in water to make ammonium hydroxide

NH3(g) + H2O(l)

NH4OH(aq)

Ions are formed in solution:

NH3(g) + H2O(l)

NH4+(aq) + OH-

This the first reactant needed to make ammonium nitrate.

Nitric acid will be explained next.

(aq)

Making nitric acid

Write a balanced reaction for the
reaction between ammonia and oxygen
to form nitrogen monoxide (and water).

Write a balanced reaction between

nitrogen monoxide and oxygen to
form nitrogen dioxide.

Write a balanced between nitrogen

dioxide, water and oxygen to make
nitric acid.

Making nitric acid

Balanced reaction for the reaction between ammonia and
oxygen to form nitrogen monoxide (and water).

4NH3(g) + 5O2(g)

4NO(g) + 6H2O(g)

Red hot Pt/Rh catalyst

Balanced reaction between nitrogen monoxide and oxygen to
form nitrogen dioxide.

2NO(g) + O2(g)

2NO2(g)

Balanced reaction between nitrogen dioxide, water and oxygen to

make nitric acid.

4NO2(g) + O2(g) + 2H2O(l)

4HNO3(aq)

Making ammonium nitrate by neutralisation

NH4OH(aq) + HNO3(aq)

NH4NO3(aq) + H2O(l)

The salt is very soluble and is separated by evaporation.

Ammonium nitrate is also very explosive

when handled incorrectly and, as well as
being a very effective fertiliser, it can be
used as rocket fuel.
In 2001, an ammonium nitrate explosion
in Toulouse, France, caused several
35 Deaths and over 500 homes to be
damaged.

The End Result