Ammonium Alum Manufacturing Process & Uses
The commercial production of ammonium aluminum sulfate is typically accomplished by a hydrometallurgy method, in which a two step process is performed. A crucial chemical component for the creation of ammonium alum is ammonia. The commercial production of ammonia is done through the Haber-Bosch process, where by the direct combination of nitrogen and hydrogen at temperatures in the range of 400oc to 600oc catalyze the reaction and yield ammonia.
The final product of the process, ammonium aluminum sulfate, which is more commonly known to the consumer as ammonium alum, is a colorless, orderless, white crystalline powder. Ammonium alum is regularly used as a component of fertilizer, water purification, and in a recent development used as a crystal deodorant.