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Why is the Ostwald process important for fertilizer production?
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Wilhelm Ostwald
Wilhelm Ostwald.
The Ostwald process, developed by the German chemist Wilhelm Ostwald in 1901, is essential to fertilizer production because it provides the primary industrial method for manufacturing nitric acid.12
The process involves the catalytic oxidation of ammonia using a platinum gauze catalyst to produce nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, which are then absorbed in water to form nitric acid. This acid is a critical component in the production of ammonium nitrate, which is one of the most important fertilizers used in modern agriculture. By enabling the large-scale synthesis of these nitrogen compounds, the Ostwald process plays a fundamental role in supporting global food production and the broader chemical industry.132