Question:
How is ammonia manufactured industrially?
Solution:
Ammonia is prepared on a large-scale by the Haber’s process.
$\mathrm{N}_{2}(\mathrm{~g})+3 \mathrm{H}_{2}(\mathrm{~g}) \leftrightharpoons 2 \mathrm{NH}_{3}(\mathrm{~g}) \quad \Delta_{\mathrm{f}} \mathrm{H}^{\circ}=-46.1 \mathrm{~kJ} / \mathrm{mol}$
The optimum conditions for manufacturing ammonia are:
(i) Pressure (around 200 × 105 Pa)
(ii) Temperature (700 K)
(iii) Catalyst such as iron oxide with small amounts of Al2O3 and K2O
