Nitrogen Serpek process

Serpek A nitrogen fixation process using aluminum nitride. A mixture of bauxite and coke is heated in nitrogen at 1,800°C to produce aluminum nitride this yields ammonia on hydrolysis by boiling with aqueous potassium aluminate ... 

In the Prank Caro process, invented in 1895 - 7 and known as the "calcium cyanamide method, a carbide, such as Ca carbide absorbs nitrogen to form cyanamide(fertilizer), which by a further treatment may be transformed either into cyanide or into ammonia, Thi s process was used in Europe, USA and Canada (Refs 38 71). In the Serpek process introduced in France and not adopted in the USA, nitrogen was "fixed as Al nitride and this gave ammonia when treated with steam(Refs 38 and 71). In the Bagnulo process, invented in Italy, ammonia and other N-contg substances... 

An example of high temperature nitrogen reactions is the Serpek process that produces aluminum nitride1. In this process bauxite and coke are mixed and heated in a nitrogen atmosphere at 1,800°C to produce aluminum nitride. Boiling the aluminum nitride with potassium aluminate then produces ammonia ... 

Other synthetic processes to ammonia have been tested and found to be impractical for large scale commercial exploitation. Eor example, the Erench Serpek process for purifying alumina also formed aluminum nitride as a byproduct from the heating of bauxite in nitrogen [5] (Eq. 11.2). 

Nitrogen also can be fixed by being passed over metals at suitable temperatures to form nitrides, which when treated with steam will yield ammonia. The best known process using this chemistry is the Serpek process, introduced in France for the manufacture of aluminum nitride. 

Aluminium nitride, as prepared by Serpek, is of value both for its combined nitrogen and also for the production of pure alumina for the manufacture of metallic aluminium. Without the sale afforded by this alumina it is doubtful whether the process would he economical, as the alumina would have to be used over and over again. As it stands, however, the alumina produced as a by-product finds a ready. sale, and the ammonia simultaneously produced is also a valuable product. 

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