Fritz Haber
In 1898 William Ramsay - the discoverer of the rare gases - pointed out the depletion of fixed nitrogen in the world, and he predicted world disaster due to a "fixed nitrogen shortage" by mid-20th century. That this has not occurred is due to the work of Fritz Haber. Haber studied the equilibrium process N2(g) + 3 H2(g) v 2 NH3 (g) in the early 1900's and concluded that direct ammonia synthesis should be possible. However, it was not until 1914 that the engineering problems and catalyst question had been solved by Carl Bosch, and ammonia production began just in time for the start of World War I. Ammonia is the starting material to make nitric acid, a vital material in the manufacture of the explosives TNT and nitroglycerin. Therefore, this is thought to be the first large scale use of a synthetic chemical for warfare. Haber's contract with the manufacturer of ammonia called for him to receive 1 pfennig per kilogram of ammonia, and he soon became not only famous but rich! Unfortunately, he joined the German Chemical Warfare Service at the start of World War I and became its director in 1916. The primary mission of the service was to develop gas warfare, and in 1915 he supervised the first use of Cl2 at the battle of Ypres. Not only was this a tragedy of modern warfare, but to Haber personally. His wife pleaded with him to stop his work in this area, and, when he refused, she committed suicide. In 1918 he was awarded the Nobel prize for the ammonia synthesis, but the choice was criticized because of his role in chemical warfare. After World War I Haber did some of his best work, continuing to study thermodynamics. However, because of his Jewish background, Haber left Germany in 1933, worked for a time in England, and died in Switzerland in 1934. |
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