The Haber process is an artificial nitrogen fixation process developed by Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch in 1910
- It is currently the main industrial procedure for the production of ammonia
The Haber process involves the conversion of nitrogen and hydrogen gas into ammonia using a metal catalyst:
- Gases are passed over four beds of catalyst at high temperatures and high pressures
- Between each pass the mixture is cooled and any unreacted gases are recycled
- Each pass is only ~15% efficient, however recycling allows for a conversion rate of ~97%
The Haber process is used to make nitrogen-based fertilisers which can be used for agricultural purposes
- Currently, there is no comparable process for the artificial synthesis of phosphate-based fertilisers
Overview of the Haber Process
