Nitrogen

Nitrogen is the most widely found gas in the atmosphere. Our atmosphere comprises several gases, out of which 78% is nitrogen. It has numerous desirable properties, making it indispensable for everyday and industrial uses. It is used in several industries like pharmaceutical, mining, food & beverage, metal, and electronic industries. We can eat food today because of nitrogen as crops grow on soil that requires fertilisers made of nitrogen. The food is preserved in nitrogen gas to prevent it from rotting. It would not be an exaggeration to say that civilisation exists as we know it because of nitrogen.

Properties of Nitrogen

Nitrogen exists in the gaseous state as N2, in which one nitrogen atom is triply bonded to another nitrogen atom. Such triple bonds are tough to break, due to which nitrogen gas is an inert gas. It is often referred to as the lifeless compound because of its inertness to chemical reactions. It is non-toxic and non-flammable. It is a colourless and odourless gas, which easily displaces oxygen, making it useful as an anti-oxidant. 

Uses of Nitrogen in the Food Industry

The food industry employs nitrogen at a large scale for several applications such as food storage and packaging, and freezing. Fruits and vegetables rot very quickly due to the decaying and oxygen-dependent ripening. To slow down their rotting, nitrogen gas is used, which cuts the oxygen supply and thus, prevents their decaying. Chips bags are also flushed with nitrogen gas for the same purpose – to avoid the contact of food with oxygen and also to avoid the crumbling of chips during transportation. In beers, it is used to prevent bubbling, which gives smooth beers.

Liquid nitrogen is used to seal non carbonated drinks cans and bottles to help maintain the required pressure in them. It is used to cool down sugar, flour, meat, etc., in hot seasons. 

Uses of Nitrogen in Manufacturing Industry

Stainless steel is electroplated with nitrogen gas to impart more strength and corrosion-resistant properties. Nitrogen is said to have an “alloying effect” with steel, and it strengthens low-carbon stainless steel. It is also used as a purging gas to protect the weld seam from oxidation and is used in ladle processing and casting operations. 

Liquid nitrogen is used to give metals a tight fit. Insertion of nitrogen in the metal pipe shrinks its size first, and once the temperature gets back to normal, the metal returns to its original size, but it has a tighter fit. It is also used in tunnel construction to remove water from the ground soil.

Uses of Nitrogen in the Chemical Industry

Nitrogen is the most commonly used gas in reactions where an inert atmosphere is required. The presence of oxygen or chemical impurities can be detrimental to the reaction in question, and thus, nitrogen is used as a blanketing agent. 

It is widely used in polymer chemistry. Oxygen is a polymerisation inhibitor, i.e., it inhibits the polymerisation reaction by quenching the initiator (in simple words, it does not let the polymerisation continue). 

The use of nitrogen also minimises the risk of fire, as it douses fire and prevents combustion. It is used to expedite the cooling process and is used in cold traps to eliminate harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from a mixture of gases.

Uses of Nitrogen in the Electronics Industry

Light bulbs have a tungsten filament that can melt and burn in the presence of oxygen due to the heat dissipated by the bulb. If we maintain a vacuum atmosphere, the bulb glass will break due to external air pressure. Hence, the bulb is flushed with nitrogen gas. 

In electronic components, it is used for soldering (through which different types of metals are joined together). It reduces the surface tension, thus providing a clean breakaway from the solder site. It is used in electrical components like CPUs to prevent their heating up.

Miscellaneous Uses of Nitrogen 

It is used as an inflating agent in race cars and aeroplane tires so that the pressure in them remains stable for a more extended period. It gives better car mileage and helps keep tires secure when their temperature rises. It is used to minimise the risk of fire in aeroplanes when used in their engine fuel.

In the pharmaceutical industry, it is used to preserve biological samples of sperms, tissue, bacteria, blood, etc. It is present in almost every kind of drug. It is used to burn benign tumours and warts.

In the mining industry, nitrogen is used to ensure that the area which will be mined would not explode due to excess heat produced. 

Conclusion 

There are several uses of nitrogen in everyday life. From electronics to the food on our table, the uses of nitrogen gas in everyday life are wide. It is used in gaseous form as well as in liquid form. The major property that makes it industrially viable is its ability to displace oxygen and chemical inertness. It is non-toxic so it does not have any harmful side effects also. It is abundant in nature and hence, cheap to obtain. Other nitrogen compounds like urea and ammonia also have several benefits such as in the fertiliser industry.