Uses of Ammonia
Ammonia is a compound of both nitrogen and hydrogen with the chemical formula NH3. At room temperature it is a gas that is completely colorless with a strong odor. It is a flammable gas and is classified as toxic, corrosive and hazardous for the environment. It is found in trace amounts in the air, but commercially used ammonia is manmade, with over 100 million metric tonnes being produced each year. The following are some of the most common uses of ammonia.
Uses of Ammonia
- Most of the ammonia used in the world is used in fertilizer either in salt or liquid form.
- Almost all synthetically derived nitrogen is made from ammonia. Nitric acid is used in fertilizers and explosives.
- Household ammonia is used as a surface cleaner in a diluted form. It most commonly used to clean glass, porcelain and stainless steel as it leaves no streaks.
- Ammonia is the main ingredient in most oven cleaners.
- Ammonia is used in industrial refrigeration applications and hockey rinks as it has favorable vaporization properties.
- It is used in geothermal power plants in an ammonia-water mixture that is boiled.
- Ammonia is used to scrub Sulfur dioxide from the burning fossil fuels used in power plants. It is also used to neutralize the nitrogen oxide produced by diesel engines.
- It is used in animal feed as an antimicrobial. It is also used to disinfect beef products before sale.
- Liquid ammonia is used in textiles to treat cotton materials and in the pre-washing of wool.
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