Introduction
Urea is used for melamin, cyanuric acid, urea-formaldehyde resin, medicinals production; as one of the components for cosmetics compounds; in agriculture as the most concentrated nitrogen fertilizer (contains 46,2% of nitrogen), for various agricultural crops growing in any soils; and as a feed additive for ruminant animals.
Urea is an organic compound in the urine, blood, and lymph of people and other mammals. Until 1828, chemists thought that only certain life processes could produce organic compounds such as urea. But then, the German chemist Friedrich Wohler synthesised (made artificially) urea from a cyanate and an ammonium salt. His discovery is usually considered the birth of synthetic organic chemistry.
Industry prepares urea commercially from liquid ammonia and carbon dioxide. Under high pressure, these chemicals form ammonium carbamate. This decomposes to give urea and water.
Specification
Urea is produced to GOST 2081-92 in three grades:
- Grade Standard B – Higher Grade;
- Grade Standard B – First Grade; and
- Grade Standard B – Second Grade.
