Key Notes on Uses of Ammonia

Ammonia is a compound composed of nitrogen and hydrogen with chemical formula NH_3. It is a common nitrogenous waste, also mainly among the aquatic life, it is contributing as a nutritional need for the terrestrial organisms. Ammonia is also creating a block for the synthesis of pharmaceutical products and also used as a commercial cleaning agent. Properties of ammonia in its aqueous state are used as a refrigerant. Aqueous ammonia also known as ammonia water or ammonium hydroxide is a solution of ammonia in water. Its chemical formula is NH₄OH. 

Now let us discuss about the properties of NH₃ in aqueous state

Basicity Of Ammonia In Water

In aqueous solution, ammonia starts deprotonating a small fraction of water to produce ammonium and hydroxide in an equilibrium.

NH₃ + H₂O ⇄ NH₄⁺ + OH^–

Saturated Solutions Of Ammonia

As the temperature of solvent increases, the solubility of ammonia like other gases also decreases. The solution of ammonia decreases in density as the concentration of dissolved ammonia in the solution increases. 

Ammonia As A Refrigerant

Now let us discuss how properties of ammonia in its aqueous state acts as a refrigerant—

Environment

Ammonia is one of the most environmentally friendly refrigerants till date. It can also be called a ‘natural’ refrigerant as it has both the global depletion potential and ozone depletion potential equal to zero.

Safety

Ammonia is also a toxic refrigerant and can be flammable sometimes, so it has to be handled carefully and all systems should be made with safety precautions in mind. Ammonia has a very distinct odour unlike other refrigerants, so in case if a little bit of leakage of ammonia is found it can be easily rectified and can be handled within time. If in case there’s a need to decrease the ammonia charge, a mixture of carbon dioxide and ammonia can be useful.

Better Heat Transfer

Unlike other chemical refrigerants, ammonia has a better heat transfer property as it can transfer heat within a smaller equipped area, providing lower plant construction cost. It also reduces operating cost as it benefits more efficiency to the thermodynamic system.

Refrigerant Price

As ammonia has lower density in liquid state, in some countries, the cost of ammonia is considerably lower than the cost of HFCS. Ammonia is not a universal refrigerant, and it can be used mainly in industrial and commercial applications.

Ammonia Used As A Manufacturer Of Urea

Let us now discuss ammonia and its uses. It is used in the manufacturing of urea. Urea is an excellent fertilizer of nitrogen. These two reactants are combined under high temperature and pressure to form ammonium carbamate which eventually decomposes at lower pressure and produces urea and water.

Urea Being An Excellent Fertiliser Of Nitrogen

Let us now discuss how it is used in the manufacturing of urea. Urea is an excellent fertiliser of nitrogen and being the most important nitrogenous compound in the market, has the highest content of nitrogen (about 46%). It’s a white colored crystalline organic chemical compound. Urea can adapt itself to all kinds of soils as it has a neutral pH. It is a waste product formed by the decomposition of human proteins as well as other mammal’s proteins. Urea is extensively used as a fertiliser and animal feed additive.

Advantages Of Urea As A Fertiliser

• Cost of production is less as source is natural
• Non-flammable and can be stored anywhere without any risk.
• Widely used as it supports all types of soil.
• Harmless to crops and soil as it has neutral pH.
• High content of nitrogen.

Azanes

Azanes are saturated hydro nitrogen i.e., it consists only of nitrogen and hydrogen atoms and all the bonds formed are single bonds.

Azanes can be used to remove germs due to its cleaning properties.

Conclusion

After a brief discussion on ammonia and its properties and uses, we can conclude that it plays a huge part on living beings, especially plant life. Ammonia acts as an excellent fertiliser and also as a cleaning agent for household chores and also economical for everyone. We should definitely use liquid ammonia more in the near future and should be methodically correct for using liquid ammonia.