Haber-Bosch Process

Current Context : A hundred million tonnes of nitrogen removed from the atmosphere and converted into fertilizer via the Haber-Bosch process, adding 165 million tonnes of reactive nitrogen to the soil.

ABOUT HABER-BOSCH PROCESS:

Purpose:

• It converts nitrogen (N₂) from the air and hydrogen (H₂) into ammonia (NH₃), a key component in fertilizers.

Developers:

• Invented by Fritz Haber in the early 1900s.
• Industrialized by Carl Bosch, making it possible to mass-produce fertilizers.

Significance:

• Enabled large-scale fertilizer production, supporting global agriculture.
• Considered one of the most important technological advances of the 20th century.

Process:

• Nitrogen and hydrogen are combined under high pressure and moderately high temperatures.
• An iron-based catalyst is used to facilitate the reaction.
• By continuously removing ammonia, the reaction is kept favorable for ammonia production.

Impact:

• Adds about 165 million tonnes of reactive nitrogen to soils annually, vital for plant growth.