A significant
amount of
nitrogen is fixed
by the Haber
process which
converts hydrogen
and nitrogen into
ammonia
Nitrogen fixing bacteria turns
unreactive nitrogen from the
atmosphere into useful
compounds such as nitrates,
ammonia and nitrogen
dioxide. The growth of all
organisms is dependent of
nitrogen as they are used to
make amino acids. However
biological fixation cannot
sustain a growing population
The feedstocks
are nitrogen
which is obtained
easily from the air
as well as hydrogen which
comes from the cracking of
chemicals in natural gas
(methane-CH4) using steam.
Methane is a fossil fuel and
so it's non-renewable. Also it
produces Co2 and CO3
Enzymes can work at room
temperature and normal
atmospheric pressure so
don't require the burning
of fossil fuels, strong and
expensive equipment and
workers are safer
Although expensive and don't
always have a high atom economy
requires very
specific conditions
Fossil fuels to
extract methane,
burnt to produce
high temperatures,
transportation
ammonia can cause
eutrophication. It's a dangerous
gas that causes health problems
and can cause explosions
More than 1% of all the energy
consumed in the world is used
for ammonia production
Dynamic
Equilibrium
Reversible reactions
Reversible reactions
are where the products
can react together into
the origional reactants,
depending on the
conditions
If they take place within a
closed container (none of the
producst/reactants escape),
reversible reactions will
eventually reach a state of
dynamic equilibrium.
At equilibrium, the forwards and backwrads reactions of a
reversible reaction are still continuing but at equal rates
so that there is no overall change (in a closed system)
At dynamic equilibrium, half of
the copper sulfate would be
blue and half would be white
The position of an equilibrium can be
changed by changing the conditions
under which a reaction happens
The Haber
Process
N2(g)+3H2(g) 2NH3(g)
the pressure favours the side with fewer gas molecules (forward
gas molecule), therefore the pressure is at 200 atmospheres
Increasing the
temperature always
favours the
endothermic reaction
(backwards reaction)
hence a relatively low
temperature
If the concentrations of the reactants are
higher, then more products will be produced
to reform the dynamic equilibrium. Therefore
ammonia is tapped off to increase yield
the gases do not stay in the reactor
long enough to reach equilibrium. But
the yield is further increased by
recycling the unreacted hydrogen and
nitrogen after they have been
separated from the ammonia (when
the mixture leaves the reactor).
Choosing the pressure Increasing the pressure causes the yield
to increase. However, the energy costs also increase and the
equipment used for the process must be strong to withstand
the high pressure, which makes it expensive. The pressure
chosen is a compromise between rate, cost, and safety.
Choosing the
temperature
Increasing the
temperature
decreases the yield
but increases the
rate. The
temperature chosen
is a compromise
between rate and
yield.
Selecting the catalyst The catalyst can be expensive to
develop and to buy - but it does not need to be replaced,
because catalysts are not used up or chemically changed
in a reaction. Care must be taken to ensure that the
catalyst is not poisoned by impurities in the reactants.
The catalyst does not affect the yield, but it does
increase the rate of the reaction. This allows a lower the
temperature to be used (increasing temperature is one
the way of speeding up a reaction) and using a lower
temperature allows the yield to be maximised as well
An iron catalyst is used to increase the rate of the
reaction. The catalyst does not affect the yield of
ammonia. Scientists are constantly trying to find new
catalysts that will speed up the reaction even more,
and therefore, make the Haber process more efficient.
Ruthenium- pressure 40 times
atmospheric pressure. yields of
about 20%. Fitted to existing
plants saving money. More
expensive but outweighed by
other cost saving
Nitrogenase- enzymes
(biosynthesis) room
tempearures and
normal pressure few
resources burnt
Unreacted
gases are
recycles so
no
wasteage
Analytical
procedures
Qualitative
analysis means
any method of
identifying the
chemicals in a
sample.
Quantitative
analysis means
working out
how much of a
particular
chemical there
is in a sample.
It can be used to work out the
molecular formula of a sample. E.g. if
you had a sample containing carbon
and hydrogen you can know that it
was a hydrocarbon but without
quantitative analysis, you wouldn't
know if it was methane, butane or
other hydrocarbons
Any analysis must be carried
out on a sample of a substance
that is representative of the
bulk of the substance. This
means that the results from
the analysis can be used to
draw conclusions about the
rest of the substance.
Samples are usually
tested in solution. A
solution is made by
dissolving the sample in
a solvent. There are two
types, aqueous (water)
and nonaqueous (other
e.g. ethanol). Which you
use depends on the
type of substance being
tested.
Standard
Procedures
agreed methods
of working- they
are chosen
because they are
the safest, most
effective and
most accurate
methods to use.
Wherever or
whenever the test
is done, the result
should be the
same- it should
give reliable
results each time
There are standard
procedures for the
collection, storage
and preparation of
the samples as
well as how it
should be analysed
Chromatography
An analytical method used to identify
and separate the chemicals in a
mixture; to check the purity of a
chemical and to purify small samples of
a chemical. In chromatography,
substances are separated as they travel
in a mobile phase which passes through
a stationary phase.Different substances
travel at different speeds, so some
move further through the stationary
phase than others in a given time.
Mobile- where
the molecules
can move. This
is always a
liquid or a gas
Stationary- where
the molecules
can't move. This
can be a solid or a
really viscous
liquid
Locating agent- identify
colourless solute spots. UV
light- with a TLC plate that
contains fluorescers so he
spots appear violet under UV
light. Spray reagent- reacts
with the substances to form a
coloured compound)
For each component/chemical in a
sample/mixture, there is a dynamic equilibrium
between the stationary and mobile phases. THE
DYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM DETERMINES THE
DISTRIBUTION OF SAMPLE BETWEEN PHASES.
The analyst adds a small sample of mixture to
the stationary phase. As the mobile phase
moves through the stationary phase, the
chemicals in the sample distribute themselves
according the dynamic equilibrium
Paper
Paper-the stationary phase is paper. The mobile
phase may either be an aqueous (water-based) liquid
or a non-aqueous organic (carbon-based) solvent. An
example of an organic solvent is propanone - which
is the main chemical in nail varnish remover.
Here the mobile
phase (solvent) has
moved through the
stationary phase and
the compounds of the
sample have been
distributed between
the mobile and
stationary phases.
Each solute has a
different distribution
according to their
affinities to the
phases and the
distribution is
determined by the
Dynamic equilibrium.
The chemicals further up have
a greater affinity to the mobile
phase and so have been
carried further and faster. Each
solute is attracted differently
so they move at different
speeds and are separated.
Thin Layer Chromatography
Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is
similar to paper chromatography but
instead of paper, the stationary phase is
a thin layer of an inert substance (eg
silica gel) supported on a flat, unreactive
surface (e.g a glass plate or plastic)
TLC has some advantages over paper
chromatography. For example: the mobile
phase moves more quickly through the
stationary phase the mobile phase moves
more evenly through the stationary phase
there is a range of absorbencies for the
stationary phase. It's easier to analyse.
Rf
Value
distance travelled by solute/
distance travelled by solvent
ratio
between
distance
travelled
by the
dissolved
substance
(solute)
and the
distance
travelled
by the
solvent
Chromatography is often carried out to see if a certain substance
is present in a mixture. You run a pure, known sample of the
substance alongside the unknown mixture. If the Rf values match
then the substances may possibly be the same (not direct proof)
Chemists use 'standard reference
materials' (SRMs) to check the identities
of substances. These have carefully
controlled concentrations and purities
Running the
chromatogram
1.The analyst adds the chosen solvent
(mobile phase) to the chromatography tank
and covers it. This ensures the solvent
doesn't evaporate. After the tank has stood
for a while, the atmosphere becomes
saturated with solvent vapour.
2. The next step is to
place he prepared
paper or TLC plate
into the tank,
checking that the
spots are above the
level of the solvent.
3. The solvent immediately rises. The chemicals in the sample dissolve
in the solvent and move between it and the paper/TLC plate
(stationary phase). This sets up an equilibrium between the solvent
and the paper. When the chemicals are in the mobile phase they
move up the stationary phase with the solvent (mobile phase).
4. The stationary phase is
removed before the
solvent reaches the top.
5. The different chemicals in the sample form
separate spots on the paper. Those further up
have a greater affinity to the mobile phase
6. The analyst
then marks the
solvent front
Gas
Gas Chromatography (GC) used to analyse
unknown substances and separate complex
mixtures., The technique separates much better
than paper or thin-layer chromatography. It can be
used to identify how much of a chemical is present
not just whether it is present. (Quantitative)
Mobile-
Unreactive
carrier gas
e.g.
nitrogen or
helium
Stationary-very thin layer of an inert liquid on an inert solid support
- such as beads of silica packed into a long thin tube (this flexible
tube is coiled many times inside a thermostatically-controlled oven
to keep it at a constant temperature).
The unknown mixture
is injected into a long
tube coated with the
stationary phase
2. As it passes along the column (long thin tube) it separates into
the different substances. Substances with a greater affinity
(attraction) for the mobile phase reach the detector at the end
of the column more quickly. Substances with a greater affinity
for the stationary phase move more slowly through the column.
3. The time it takes the chemical to travel through it is called
the retention time. It is different for each chemical and is
compared with standard reference data to identify it.
the number of compounds in the mixture -
represented by the number of peaks
how much of each compound is present - represented
by the height of the peak (higher = more)
the retention time - indicated by the position of the peak
The longer the retention time, the greater affinity
the substance had to the stationary phase