Year 12 Chemistry Chemical Monitoring and Management

Haber Process and Ammonia

Ammonia
Identify and describe industrial uses of ammonia
Ammonia (NH3) is a common weak base used in the production of many products. It is used to:
Make fertilisers (Ammonium Sulfate, Ammonium Nitrate, Urea)
Create nitric acid, which is then used to create fertilisers, dyes, fibres, plastics and explosives such as TNT and
nitro-glycerine
Household detergents and cleaners

Production
Identify that ammonia can be synthesized from its component gases nitrogen and hydrogen
Describe that synthesis of ammonia occurs as a reversible reaction that will reach equilibrium
Identify the reaction of hydrogen with nitrogen as exothermic
Analyse the impact of increased pressure on the system involved in the Haber Process
The Haber process was the process to synthesise ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen gas.
2() + 32() 23 ()
It is an exothermic reaction, releasing 46kJ per mole of Ammonia. [ = 46/]. It is also a reversible
reaction, forming an equilibrium. The standard equilibrium factors of pressure, temperature and concentration
apply.
To push the forward reaction, the optimal conditions will be low temperature and high pressure. High pressure
favours less moles on the forward side, while low temperature favours the forward as it removes excess heat
from the system

Rate of Reaction and The Balancing Act

Explain why the rate of reaction is increased by higher temperatures
Explain why the yield of a product in the Haber process is reduced at higher temperatures using Le Chateliers
principle
Explain why the Haber process is based on a delicate balancing act involving reaction energy, reaction rate and
equilibrium
A reaction occurs when two particles collide with one another AND they possess enough energy to surpass the
activation energy and begin the reaction. Because of this, the rate of reaction is based on the probability that two
particles collide with sufficient energy.
Referring back to the Kinetic Theory of Particles, gases consist of particles and heat energy correlates to kinetic
energy. The hotter a substance is, the higher its kinetic energy. Therefore with higher kinetic energy, the extra
movement increases the chance of collision as well as increasing the available energy available for the reaction,
thereby increasing the change that said collisions have enough energy to begin the activation. Overall this leads
to the conclusion that higher temperatures allow for higher rates of reaction.
Now with the Haber Process, to optimize yield, lower temperatures are favourable. But low temperatures give a
low rate of reaction. Therefore a compromise needs to be made to allow high enough rate of reaction such that
the equilibrium point is reached in a feasible amount of time, but the temperature will need to be low enough
such that the equilibrium point has a high enough yield to make the process viable.
From this the ideal conditions are 400oC and 2.5 x 104kPa. This produces an equilibrium of 45%.

Year 12 Chemistry Chemical Monitoring and Management

Catalyst
Explain that the use of a catalyst will lower the reaction temperature required and identify the catalysts used in
the Haber process
A method to help bypass this issue is to introduce the catalyst. The introduction of the catalyst does NOT increase
yield by directly shifting the equilibrium per se. It increases yield over time by allowing for higher rate of reactions
at lower temperatures.
The catalyst used is Magnetite, Fe3O4. It functions by providing a surface for the reaction to occur. It lowers the
energy required to being the activation, allowing the reaction to occur at lower temperatures, which in turn
increases yield.
The reason it does not shift the equilibrium directly is because it speeds up both the forward and backwards
reactions.

Monitoring of the Reaction Vessel

Explain why monitoring of the reaction vessel used in the Haber process is crucial discuss monitoring required
Many different conditions must be maintained for efficient and safe operation of the Haber process. They are as
follows:
Temperature/Pressure: Needs to be kept at the optimal range to maximized efficiency and yield. Also
excessive temperatures will damage the catalyst.
Ratio of H2 to N2: The build up of one reactant will slow the process.
Concentrations of O2, CO, CO2, and Sulfur compounds in incoming gas
o The presence of oxygen creates the risk of explosion
o The other gases position the catalyst
Concentration of Argon and Methane: lowers efficiency

Historical Significance of the Haber Process

Gather and process information from secondary sources to describe the conditions developed the industrial
synthesis and evaluate its significance at that time in world history
The Haber process was developed by the German, Fritz Haber. It was developed at the beginning of the 20th
century, leading up to WW1. Growing world populations was placing more strain on finite Nitrate resources.
Germanys growing military presence promoted explosives production, placing further demand for natural nitrate
resources. The Haber process helped to alleviate these pressures, providing a method to artificially create
ammonia which could be used to produce nitrate.
In 1908 Haber develops a catalytic method of synthesising Ammonia. It would be further improved with the help
of Carl Bosch to industrialise the process in 1914.
The process was significant as during WW1, the Allies blocked nitrate imports into Germany. This starved the
populace and halted the production of explosives. The Haber process enabled Germany to continue production
and fertilisers and explosives, sustaining Germanys war effort and prolonging the war.
The principle of the process would also later lead to the synthesis of other products, e.g. methyl alcohol,
hydrogenation of coal.