What is Ammonia gas (NH3)?
Properties of Ammonia (NH3)
- It is a colorless gas with a sharp and pungent odor.
- Ammonia gas (NH3) is very soluble in water: 1 liter of water at 800C can dissolve 800 liters of NH3. Ammonia gas (NH3) is a substance that dissolves in water to form an ammonia solution. Concentrated ammonia solution has a concentration of 25%.
- Ammonia is weakly basic: The reason is that the electron pair has not joined the bond in the N atom “Ba(OH)2 > NaOH > NH3 > Mg(OH)2 > Al(OH)3”
- Ammonia reacts with water (NH3 + H2O) (NH3 + H2O ↔ NH4+ + OH-). NH3 solution turns blue litmus blue, colorless phenolphthalein turns pink.
- Ammonia reacts with Acid → Ammonium Salt Muối
- Ammonia reacts with salt solutions of metals in which hydroxides are insoluble → bases and salts
- Ammonia is a strong reducing agent: This is because the N in NH3 has the lowest oxidation state of -3 .
- Ammonia reacts with O2
- Ammonia reacts with Cl2
- Ammonia reacts with metal oxides

Application of industrial ammonia (NH3) gas in industries
Fertilizer
- In fact, about 83% of liquid ammonia is used as fertilizer because all nitrogen compounds are derived from NH3, which is essential for plant growth.
- In 2004, ammonia was used as fertilizer or as its salts or solutions. When applied to soil, helps provide increased yields of crops such as corn and wheat.
- Consuming more than 1% of all man-made energy, ammonia production is an important component of the world energy budget.
Use as bleach
- Ammonia (NH3) gas used in households is a solution of NH3 in water used as a cleaning agent for many surfaces. Liquid ammonia produces a bright glow. In particular, ammonia is used to clean glass, porcelain and stainless steel, or is used to clean ovens and soak utensils to clean dust …
In the textile industry
- Liquid Ammonia (NH3) gas is used to treat cotton raw materials, giving a glossy alkaline property using alkaline agents. In particular, it is used to launder wool money.
Environmental treatment of exhaust gas
- Liquid ammonia gas (NH3) is used in environmental treatment to remove substances such as Nox, Sox in the exhaust gas of fossil fuels such as coal, stone…
As an antibacterial agent in food
- Ammonia gas (NH3) is a strong reducing agent, Anhydrous Ammonia is currently used commercially to reduce or eliminate bacterial contamination of beef.
In the wood processing industry
- Liquid ammonia gas (NH3) is used in woodworking, to deepen the color because the ammonia gas reacts with the natural tannins in the wood and changes the color more beautifully.
