The Haber Process

The Haber Process was a procedure that changed our way of thinking and committing ideas in the world of chemistry as well as the world itself, it was very important as many do not recognize. It helped us think about some aspects of world of science, as we did not know them that well. The approach of it was critical and its influence is still present. The Haber Process was a method of producing of Ammonia

That started during the First World War. Fritz Haber was the great man who developed this process in which molecular nitrogen is taken from the air and combines with molecular hydrogen to form ammonia gas.

Fritz Haber was born on December 9,1868 in Brelau, Germany. He was the son of a merchant named Siegfried Haber. Even while he was at school he did many chemical experiments. He was educated for higher studies at Technische Hochschule in Berlin. In 1911 he was appointed as the professor of Physical Chemistry in the University of Berlin. In World War I Fritz Haber became the chief of the German chemical warfare service, he directed the chlorine gas attack at the second battle of Ieper as well. In 1913 he accomplished his great discovery of synthesizing ammonia by the direct combination of hydrogen and nitrogen which is also known as type of Nitrogen fixation.

After the end of World War he was awarded the Noble Prize in chemistry for his works in various fields of the subject including electrochemistry, He became famously renowned and started to get numerous honors for his work. Haber was a man who had supreme talent and knowledge not only in science but also in politics, history, economics and industry. Haber lived for Science, for the influence it has in everyone’s lives and for itself. Later on in 1933 because of serious illnesses and his spirit getting broken by the rejection of Germany he had served so well Fritz Haber died in Switzerland where went to recover mentally and physically.

As we have learned the Haber Process involves a way to make nitrogen and hydrogen combine and covert some of it in to ammonia (NH3). Hydrogen and Nitrogen are reluctant partners and cannot combine under ordinary conditions. Haber tried his deception and considered that only under high pressure, high temperature and using a catalyst it might possible to achieve his goal. Under the conditions Haber was successful to make 8% of the hydrogen and nitrogen into ammonia. A higher pressure compared to a lower temperature would produce even better results but it would also be more difficult and dangerous to ...

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Well ammonia is very important substance and necessary and advantageous to many organisms. Ammonia is a colorless malodorous gas and is very soluble in water. It is also an base so it neutralizes acids and when it does it forms ammonium salts because a Acid + Base--- Salt + Water. With sulpharic acid it gives ammonium sulphate (NH4)2SO4 and with hydrochloric acid it gives ammonium chloride which is NH4Cl. Ammonium salts contain the ammonium ion of NH4+.

Ammonia when combined with other substances is very useful especially for plants and soils. Scientific study established three elements as necessary in large quantities for plant growth: potassium (K), phosphorus (P), and nitrogen (N). Ammonium nitrates are the most important of the nitrogenous fertilizers. Nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the air atmosphere but it also very unreactive that disallows plant to use it naturally. Nitric acid is used to react with ammonia to create ammonium nitrate, which is used as a fertilizer, NH3 (aq) + HNO3 (aq) ---- NH4N03(aq), all the substances are aqueous states because Ammonia is very soluble in water. A gas is difficult to apply to soil so it regularly converted to a nitrate or a salt.

After giving information about The Haber Process probably makes a person feel that it must be a great process with great results, mostly it is true but a few very small problems are still common. The major use of ammonia is for making fertilizers and it is also used for Nitric Acid and Nylon. In ammonia power plants damages could occur if something goes wrong like if a gas (ammonia) escapes from the plant which would cause air pollution. Fertilizers are used in large amounts on modern farms and if they get washed down through the soil by rain they could cause sewage to build up and algae and bacteria to form through eutrophication. Fertilizers contain nitrates and they become harmful when they get into water. Producing ammonia is cheap because it uses materials that are abundant, only for the machinery and building it might take a little money.

During the early 20th century World War I had occurred in Western Europe between the Central Powers and the Allied Powers. The Central Powers was coalition comprising the German, Austria- Hungarian empires and Bulgaria and Turkey. The Allied Powers consisted of 28 nations, which included the UK, France, Russia, Italy and the USA. This was the first Global War that lasted from 1914-1919. Early twentieth century produced three methods of nitrogen fixation were discovered to produce fertilizers or used directly. Two of the processes, the Cyanamid and Electric arc process were never proved to be significant in making fertilizers in the US. The Haber Process which was discovered a German of Fritz Haber proved to be effective and made a lasting impression on different aspect of chemical technology.

The War started in 1914 and it was brutal, Germany had played a crucial role in the War and by defeating it would be most likely that the war would end. How severe the War and how long it could go on was in their hands. The element nitrogen can be used to make explosives and dangerous substances and to stop Germany for doing so trade routes were blocked off and Germany was not able to receive Sodium Nitrates and Potassium Nitrates, which were their main sources for nitrogen. Germany learned that air consists of 80% oxygen and their might be methods which will allow them to get nitrogen from. Nitrogen could be received from the air by fractional distillation. Getting Nitrogen was not a big problem now and the Haber process was starting to take place.

Fractional Distillation is when the one substance with the lowest boiling point starts to boil it evaporates into a cooling jacket which then liquefies and is poured into a beaker or container. Then the next substance starts to boil and does the same thing except the substance is put into a different beaker or container to store it. And this separates all of the components of mixtures and you can get one or more pure substances out of a mixture.

Producing ammonia was known for many years before the Haber Process but it was the most fastest and effective way to produce ammonia. After the War and even before it had started there were chemical plants already functioning producing Ammonia. During Naval battles between the Germany and UK Germany use to somehow use to transport nitrates from where they were fighting to Germany. The amount of nitrates Germany had performed a consequential role. World War I could have been a year or to shorter if it was not because of the Haber Process and the Ostwald process, which was also very important. Germany became more difficult to beat in War because of industrialized techniques.

The Haber Process produced ammonia, which was helpful with making fertilizers that had multiple uses and the Ostwald Process which converted ammonia to nitrates. Items that Germany needed were easily made for abundant natural resources such as air, coal and water. For Germany all this resources were advantageous but for the other countries they had nothing but problems and tensions. The Allied powers must be devastated at the time because they were unable to produce ammonia through various methods. They sent spies and thought of many possible ways to also learn this idea but they were unsuccesful at all times. They did not have the equipment or the knowledge and overall they did not have same understanding of chemistry that the German had at the time. The whole war was affected significantly because of the Haber process.

Through the time of wars till the now the Haber Process has played a significant role in the world. The Haber Process is more effective today then ever history. The use of fertilizers is 400% more than in 1940 and mostly ammonium nitrate is the most used. Knowledge of Chemistry and your surroundings could determine a whole lot of concepts and ideas that may benefit people or harm people, it may stop a world War or cause one. The Haber Process was brought many changes to the world of chemistry and how we look at it.

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