Haber-Bosch Process

Catalytic fixation of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, the reaction feeding roughly half of humanity.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Fritz Haber demonstrated it in 1909; Carl Bosch industrialized it by 1913.
• It runs over an iron catalyst near 450 °C and 200 atmospheres to break N₂’s triple bond.
• About half the nitrogen atoms in the average human body have passed through the process as fertilizer.

Specifications & Metrics

• GENERAL FORM: N₂ + 3H₂ ⇌ 2NH₃