How are catalysts used in industrial process?
They speed up the reaction without being used up and allow the reaction to take place at a lower temperature, therefore using them is more economic. In the Haber Process, they use an iron catalyst. Ammonia is made by combining nitrogen from air with hydrogen from either methane or water. Nitrogen and hydrogen are mixed with an iron catalyst, temperature of around 500 degrees Celsius and pressure of 200 atmospheres. This produces ammonia, which is cooled and then liquifies. Catalytic converters are used in the exhaust systems of cars. Incomplete combustion of petrol in a car’s engine produces harmful gases such as carbon monoxide. The catalytic converter converts these gases into harmless gases such as nitrogen and oxygen. It also changes any hydrocarbons that have not been completely burned into water and carbon dioxide.
