WoLTERECK — Production of Ammonia from Atmospheric Nitrogen. 57 



The yields of ammonia obtained in six separate experiments compared 

 with those at tlie corresponding temperature of the former series with a 6-inch 

 zone of wire gauze were only between one-seventh and one-tenth of the 

 former; and therefore it is to be concluded that ammonia is redeeomposed by the 

 prolonged contact with the iron. An observation which was made in the course 

 of the series of experiments described showed that, as the oxidation of the 

 iron proceeded, the formation of ammonia decreased, and that it was necessary 

 to reduce the iron from time to time by passing carbon monoxide or hydrogen 

 over it at a higher temperature. This rather complicated matters ; and experi- 

 ments were made to discover a material the oxidation of which should produce 

 favourable results, while being so cheap as not to require a subsequent 

 reduction. Such materials were found in coke, charcoal, brown coal, peat — 

 in fact, any carbonaceous material. 



Experiments were made by passing air and steam over coke, 80 grams of 

 which yielded in 47 hours 1'7948 gram of ammonia, equal to 8'9 per cent, of 

 sulphate of ammonia on the quantity of coke consumed : the amount of air 

 passed over was t31 cubic feet. On repeating the experiment at a slightly 

 higher temperature with 78 grams of coke, 2 1 1 cubic feet of air produced in 

 25 hours r443 gram of ammonia, being 7'3 per cent, of ammonium sulphate 

 on the coke consumed. This result shows that, with the higher temperature 

 in a shorter time and with less air, very little less ammonia is produced than 

 with the lower temperature, in spite of the fact that the heating was, in the 

 first place, carried on for a longer time. The coke experiments closely 

 approach the field so thoroughly investigated by Beilby and Toung, and by 

 Dr. Ludwig Mond ; but, however nearly these investigators approached the 

 actual synthesis of ammonia from the nitrogen of the atmosphere, they did 

 not achieve it, since the principal object aimed at by them was the production 

 of gas suitable for heating or for power pui-poses, and ammonia was only 

 considered as a by-product. 



The temperature employed by Beilby and Young was about 1000° 0. 

 and the average composition of the gas obtained by them was : — 



39 per cent, combustible gases. 



100-0 



