Saltpeter mines contain potassium nitrate and sodium nitrate, which are raw materials for making gunpowder and are also an important source of agricultural fertilizers. For this reason, the importance of saltpeter mines has emerged, and the largest saltpeter mine in the world currently comes from the Pampas Desert in Chile.
In the early years, a war broke out between Chile and neighboring Peru over this saltpeter mine. After a fierce battle, Peru and Bolivia finally recognized the fact and ceded the mine to Chile.
From then on, the three countries took different paths, and Chile also became one of the top three powers in South America. One can imagine how much the saltpeter mine helped Chile. Because of this, Chile also became one of the important partners of the British Empire.
The sale of saltpeter mines was dominated by the British.
Other countries are dissatisfied with the British Empire's monopoly on the sale of saltpeter mines. We are not fools, so how can we not know its intentions. The attempt to monopolize the raw materials of gunpowder has led to countries having to consider its opinions when preparing armaments.
For this reason, on the one hand, various countries put pressure on the British, trying to get a share of the pie, and on the other hand, they also tried to find ways to bypass the purchase of saltpeter mines.
Among them, ammonia occupies an absolutely important position.
Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen. It is a colorless gas at room temperature, has a strong pungent smell, and is easily soluble in water. Ammonia is also an important raw material for making nitric acid, fertilizers, and explosives.
Since ammonia is so effective, there are naturally many people studying the industrial extraction of ammonia.
In 1795, someone tried to synthesize ammonia at normal pressure, and later someone tried it at 50 atmospheres, but all failed.
In the second half of the 19th century, great progress in physical chemistry made people realize that the reaction of synthesizing ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen is reversible. Increasing pressure will push the reaction in the direction of producing ammonia; increasing temperature will move the reaction in the opposite direction.
However, if the temperature is too low, the reaction speed will be too small; the catalyst will have an important impact on the reaction.
This actually provided theoretical guidance for the experiment of ammonia synthesis. The authority of physical chemistry at that time, Nernst of Germany, clearly pointed out that nitrogen and hydrogen can synthesize ammonia under high pressure conditions, and provided some experimental data.
The French chemist Le Chatelier was the first to attempt to conduct a high-pressure synthesis of ammonia experiment, but he gave up this dangerous experiment because oxygen was mixed into the nitrogen-hydrogen mixture, causing an explosion.
Although he gave up, someone still decided to continue the work. Fritz Haber was the one who decided to conduct ammonia synthesis experiments.
His experiments were somewhat different. He never blindly followed authority, but relied on experiments to verify. After some precise experiments, Haber finally confirmed that Nernst's calculations were wrong.
Since it was wrong, he needed to correct it. After a long period of experimentation and thinking, Haber finally obtained a complete ammonia synthesis process.
First, water vapor is blown over the hot coke to obtain a mixed gas of almost equal volumes of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The carbon monoxide further reacts with water vapor under the action of the catalyst to obtain carbon dioxide and hydrogen. Then the mixed gas is heated under a certain pressure
When dissolved in water, carbon dioxide is absorbed and purer hydrogen is produced.
Similarly, water vapor is mixed with an appropriate amount of air and passed through red-hot carbon. The oxygen and carbon in the air generate carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, which are absorbed and removed, thereby obtaining the required nitrogen.
The mixed gas of nitrogen and hydrogen synthesizes ammonia under the conditions of high temperature and high pressure and under the action of catalyst.
But what kind of high temperature and pressure conditions are optimal?
What kind of catalyst is best?
This requires great efforts to explore.
After continuous experiments and calculations, Haber finally achieved inspiring results. This is that under the conditions of a high temperature of 600°C, a pressure of 200 atmospheres and osmium as a catalyst, synthetic ammonia with a yield of about 8% can be obtained.
The conversion rate of 8% is not high, and will of course affect the economic benefits of production. I know that the ammonia synthesis reaction cannot achieve a conversion rate as high as that of sulfuric acid production. In sulfuric acid production, the conversion rate of sulfur dioxide oxidation reaction is almost close to 100%.
What to do? Haber believed that if the reaction gas could be circulated under high pressure and the ammonia generated by the reaction could be continuously separated from this cycle, the process would be feasible. So he successfully designed a cycle of raw gas Process, this is the Haber process for synthesizing ammonia.
When Haber developed a complete industrial ammonia synthesis technology, Carlo received the news immediately.
In fact, don't think about this kind of thing being too complicated. Carlo only needs to remember ammonia synthesis or a person's name, and someone will help him find it. First, check the current people who are doing ammonia synthesis research in Germany and find familiar names or people. Find out what the other party is doing, then ask someone to find him, say that he wants to help him, and then wait for the results.
Basically, no one would refuse his goodwill, because conducting research requires a large amount of funds, and few people have sufficient budgets. Anyone with a strong financial background is willing to accept it.
In addition, Haber himself also had a dream of becoming a millionaire and wanted to make some money through inventions. Therefore, he accepted the friendship from Italy immediately.
Therefore, after the industrialization research on synthetic ammonia was completed, Carlo was very reasonable to get the news as soon as possible.
And Carlo, who got the news, of course knew its function.
Let’s put aside what benefits mankind. At present, the cost of synthetic ammonia is not low. Even if you use it to make ammonia fertilizer, it is not as affordable as farmers. The biggest role of synthetic ammonia at present is to replace the role of saltpeter in gunpowder.
Now that the research on the industrialization of ammonia has been completed, of course Italy cannot lag behind. So Carlo called the captain of the guard. "McCllen, let the Savoy Fund invest funds to build the ammonia plant."
"I obey your Majesty."
Of course, McClun, as the captain of the bodyguard, would only obey the king's orders. This is based on his experience as the captain of the bodyguard for many years. It is absolutely correct to read less, speak less, and listen more.
"In addition, let Haber come to guide the construction of the factory."
Facing the king's words, McClun said, "Your Majesty, this may be a bit difficult."
"What's wrong, isn't Haber unwilling to come?"
Carlo was a little surprised by what the captain of the guard said. He had read information about Haber. This chemist was a bit greedy for money. He would pay a large sum of money for such a job as guiding the construction of a factory.
"Your Majesty, Mr. Haber is currently focused on selling ammonia synthesis technology to the German government, and may not be willing to leave for Italy to provide guidance."
Although McClun said it very tactfully, Carlo understood immediately. Haber believed that the technology he was researching was very important and valuable, so he was unwilling to have any surprises before maximizing the benefits.
Carlo also understood the other party's thoughts very well, but he felt a little unhappy inside. Could it be that the Kingdom of Italy could still make things difficult for him?
But if it rains and my mother wants to get married, let him go. If you don’t want to come, just don’t do it. The Italian ammonia factory can be built by yourself.
In fact, when Italy obtained the ammonia synthesis technology, Germany also learned about the success of Haber's research, and also learned that Italy had purchased the technology.
At this time, the promotion of synthetic ammonia took a different path. At the request of the German government, Basf assisted Haber in the construction of the first synthetic ammonia plant, three years earlier than in history.
It seems that Italy's attention has led Germany to follow suit.
