Uses of ammonia

Table 3 Uses of ammonia

Use of ammonia Percentage
fertilizers 75
nitric acid 10
solvents 8
nylon and other organic compounds 7

Manufacture of Fertilizers

• The main use of ammonia is in the manufacture of fertilizers.

• Approximately 75% of all ammonia produced is converted into various
ammonium compounds like ammonium sulphate (NH4)2SO4, ammonium nitrate
NH4NO3, ammonium phosphate (NH4)3PO4 and urea NH2CONH2.
• These compounds are called nitrogenous fertilizers.

Example
Ammonium sulphate (NH4)2SO4
H2SO4(aq) + 2NH3(aq) --->(NH4)2SO4(aq)

Ammonium nitrate NH4NO3

HNO3(aq) + NH3(aq) ---> NH4NO3(aq)

ammonium phosphate (NH4)3PO4

H3PO4(aq) + 3NH3(aq) ---> (NH4)3PO4(aq)

Urea NH2CONH2
CO2(g) + NH3(g) ---> CO(NH2)2(p) + H2O(l)

• They are solids for ease in handling and water soluble so that they seep into the
soil to be absorbed by the roots of the plant.
• Nitrogen is an essential element for healthy plant growth as we saw earlier with
the nitrogen cycle. Nitrogen is essential for making proteins which are needed for
healthy growth of stems and leaves. The proportion of nitrogen present in a
particular fertiliser can be calculated and is usually quoted as an 'N' value on the
fertiliser bag.
Solvent Uses

• queous ammonia is used as a degreasing agent, as it is a good solvent of grease

and fat.
• Many household cleaners boast of the 'power of ammonia' for removing grease
stains around the kitchen.
• However, it is wrong, as stated in some commercials, to talk of 'liquid ammonia'.
• It is more accurate to say 'ammonia solution', as ammonia does not liquefy until a
temperature of -34 °C is reached.

Characteristic of ammonia
React with acid to form salt and water

As an alkali, ammonia can react with acid to form salt and water.
Example
H2SO4(aq) + 2NH3(aq) ---> (NH4)2SO4(aq)
HNO3(aq) + NH3(aq) ---> NH4NO3(aq)
H3PO4(aq) + 3NH3(aq) ---> (NH4)3PO4(aq)

Ammonia solution react with positive ions

Ammonia dissolve into water to form ammonium and hydroxide ion.

NH3 + H2O ---> NH4+ + OH-

The hydroxide ion can react with many kinds of positive ion to form precipitate.
Example
Mg2+ + 2OH- ---> Mg(OH)2
Fe2+ + 2OH- ---> Fe(OH)2
Al3+ + 3OH- ---> Al(OH)3

Testing for Ammonia Gas

• Ammonia is the only common alkaline gas, so it can be identified with moist red
litmus paper turning blue.
• However, a more specific chemical test is to hold close to the suspected ammonia,
a glass rod dipped into some concentrated hydrochloric acid.
• This will give off fumes of hydrogen chloride gas which, in the presence of
ammonia, form a dense, white 'smoke' of ammonium chloride:

ammonia gas + hydrogen chloride gas ---> ammonium chloride

NH3 (g) + HC1 (g) ---> NH4C1 (s)
 • In the same way, mixing a gas jar of hydrogen chloride and ammonia gas
produces the same dense, white smoke. The smoke again is the fine-particled
solid called ammonium chloride.

The Haber Process

The reaction

• Ammonia is made by the Haber process from nitrogen and hydrogen:

N2(g) + 3H2(g) ---> 2NH3(g); Heat of reaction = -92 kJ mo1-1

• The reaction is exothermic, and involves a decrease in the number of moles of

gas.

Sources of the raw material

Hydrogen
Hydrogen is produced industrially from cracking oil

Nitrogen
Nitrogen from liquefaction of the air

Condition

Catalyst Iron
Promoter Aluminium oxide
Ratio of Hydrogen
The two gases are combined directly in a ratio of 3 : 1
and Oxygen
At 450 °C

• An application of Le Chatelier's shows that the forward

reaction should be assisted by a low temperature.
• At low temperature, the rate of attainment of equilibrium is
Temperature low. At high temperature, the position of equilibrium is over
to the left.

• A compromise temperature is adopted, and a catalyst is

employed to speed up the attainment of equilibrium
concentrations.
Pressure At 200-1000 atm
 • An application of Le Chatelier's shows that the forward
reaction should be assisted by a high pressure.

Products

• The yield is about 10%, and unreacted gases are recycled

When the ammonia has been produced, it is liquefied 'out', by reducing the temperature to
-34°C (239 K)

The Manufacture of Nitric Acid (Ostwald Process)

Introduction

Industrially, nitric acid is made by the catalytic oxidation of ammonia over heated
platinum. Oxidising ammonia produces oxides of nitrogen which can then be dissolved in
water to produce nitric acid.

Reaction

• Initially, nitrogen(II) oxide will be formed from the catalytic oxidation of

ammonia using the transition metal platinum.

ammonia + oxygen ---> nitrogen(II) oxide + steam

4NH3 (g) + 5O2 (g) ---> 4NO (g) + 6H2O (g)

• The nitrogen(II) oxide is rapidly cooled before combining with oxygen (from
excess air) to form nitrogen(IV) oxide.

2NO (g) + O2 (g) ---> 2NO2 (g)

• The nitrogen(IV) oxide, mixed with excess air, is then allowed to react with water
to form nitric acid.

nitrogen(IV) oxide + oxygen (air) + water ---> nitric acid

4NO2 (g) + O2 (g) + 2H2O (1) ---> HNO3 (aq)

Uses of Nitric Acid

• Most of the nitric acid made is used to make the all-important fertilisers, such as
ammonium nitrate.
• Other uses of nitric acid include making explosive, like nitroglycerine, or TNT
(trinitrotoluene), and making dyes. Modern dyes are azo dyes, which can be
formed by the reduction of various nitro-compounds.