FRITZ HABER

1
FRITZ HABER THE HABER PROCESS

• By Rachel Miller Chrissy Rains

2
ABOUT THE CHEMIST FRITZ HABER

• Born 1868 in Germany
• Father of Chemical Warfare
• Married Clara Immerwahr in 1901 who also held a
  Chemistry PhD

www.nobelprize.org

• Studied at University of Heidelberg, University
  of Berlin, and the Technical College of
  Charlottenburg
• Worked with father, merchant in hometown

3
THE HABER PROCESS

• Developed the process with Carl Bosch
• It is the catalytic formation of ammonia from
  hydrogen and atmospheric nitrogen under
  conditions of low temperature and high pressure.
• These fertilizers are responsible for sustaining
  one-third of the Earth's population.
• Their work received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry
  in 1918
• A milestone in industrial chemistry because it
  divorced the production of nitrogen products from
  natural deposits
• Most of his work during this monumental times was
  done at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physical
  Chemistry and Electrochemistry

4
www.hydro.com
5
CATALYSTS

• Definition a chemical agent that increases the
  rate of a reaction without being consumed by the
  reaction

• Types
• Homogeneous catalysis catalyst is present in
  same phase as reactants
• Example gas catalyst with gas reactants
• Heterogeneous catalysis catalyst is present in
  different phase than reactants
• Example solid catalyst with gas/liquid reactants
• Autocatalysis reaction is catalysed by one of
  its products
• Example 2MnO4- 6H 5 COOH-COOHgt 2Mn2
  10CO2 8H2O
• Inhibitors the anti-catalyst

www.columbia.edu
6
EXAMPLES OF CATALYSIS

• Haber Process
• Reaction will occur but VERY slowly
• Fe catalyst doesnt shift equilibrium or produce
  more ammonia
• Speeds up reaction
• Catalytic Converters

• Uses expensive metal catalyst (platinum,
  palladium, rhodium)
• Changes poisonous gases (CO and NO) into less
  harmless ones (CO2 and NO2)

http//dev.nsta.org
7
EXAMPLES OF CATALYSIS

• Biology
• Enzymes macromolecules that act as catalysts
• sucrose H2O sucrasegtsucrose Glucose
  Fructose
• Food Science
• Hydrogenation of fats
• Uses Nickel catalyst
• H2CCH2 H2 ---gt CH3CH3 (alkene gt alkane)
• Enzymes in milk and milk products
• In milk Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) cuts
  triglycerides into glycerol and free fatty acids
• Cheese rennet and starter cultures for
  coagulation

www.unc.orgg
Calorielab.com
8
PLATINUM-CATALYZED DECOMPOSITION OF METHANOL

• Basics
• CH3COH (g) gt CH2O (g) H2 (g)
• Use platinum to catalyze the reaction
• Explanation
• Another reaction is also occurring
• 2H2 (g) O2 (g) gt 2H2O (g)
• H2 gas released by first equation is used in
  second equation to produce water vapor
• The two reactions are mutually dependant

9
REFERENCES

• http//www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/catalysis/intr
  oduction.html
• Principles of Modern Chemistry by Oxtoby, Gillis,
  and Campion
• Biology 8th Edition by Campbell and Reece
• http//www.elmhurst.edu/chm/vchembook/558hydrogen
  ation.html
• http//www.foodsci.uoguelph.ca/dairyedu/chem.html
• Journal of Chemical Education July 1993. Pages
  585-586
• http//www.npr.org/programs/morning/features/2002/
  jul/fritzhaber/
• http//nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laure
  ates/1918/haber-bio.html