Urea and its Diverse Uses

Urea is a colorless crystal chemical compound with a melting point of 132.7 ° C. It is found abundantly in urine. It is the principal end product of protein metabolism in man and mammals, and is excreted in large quantities in the urine.

 

Urea, also known as carbamide, carbonyldiamine or amino methanamide, is an organic compound with two amides joined by a carbonyl functional group.

 

Its chemical formula is: (NH2)2CO

 

In smaller amounts, urea is present in the blood, liver, lymph nodes and serous fluids, and also in the waste of fish and many other lower species. Urea is formed in the liver as an end product of metabolism. Urea nitrogen, which constitutes most of the nitrogen in the urine, comes from the decomposition of the body's cells, above all, food proteins. Urea is also present in the molds of fungi as well as the leaves and seeds of many legumes and cereals.

 

It is soluble in water and alcohol, and slightly soluble in ether. It is obtained by Wöhler synthesis, designed in 1828 by German chemist Friedrich Wöhler making urea the first organic substance produced artificially.

 

Due to its high nitrogen content, commercially prepared urea is used in the manufacture of agricultural fertilizers. Urea is also used as a stabilizer in nitrocellulose explosives and is a component of synthetically prepared resins.

- Molecular Weight: 60.06 g / mol

- Density: 768 Kg/m3

- Melting point: 132.7 º C

- Heat of fusion: 5.78 to 6 cal / gr

- Heat of combustion: 2531 cal / gr

- Relative Critical Humidity (30 ° C): 73%

- Salinity Index: 75.4

- Corrosivity: Corrosive on carbon steel, less on aluminum, zinc and copper. It is not corrosive on glass and specialty steels.

- By thermal decomposition at temperatures close to 150-160 º C, urea produces toxic and flammable gases and other compounds, for example: ammonia, carbon dioxide, ammonium cyanate (NH4OCN) and biurea HN(CONH 2)2. If heated further, cinnabar acid cyclic compounds are obtained.

- Neutral urea solutions are hydrolyzed very slowly in the absence of microorganisms, giving ammonia and carbon dioxide. The kinetics at higher temperatures increases with the addition of acids or bases and an increase in the concentration of urea.

Urea is produced by mammals as a result of the elimination of ammonia, which is highly toxic to them. The so-called urea cycle is the process of the formation of urea from ammonia. In humans as with other mammals, urea is a waste product produced when the body has digested proteins. It is carried through the blood to the kidneys, which filter urea from the blood and deposit it in the urine. An adult male removes approximately 28g of urea per day.

 

Moreover, in the soil are numerous bacteria that release an enzyme called urease. Urease is a hydrolytic enzyme that catalyzes the decomposition reaction of urea by water, with formation of a carbon dioxide molecule and two molecules of ammonia.

The main uses of urea are:

 

Fertilizer: 90% of the urea produced is used as fertilizer. It is added to soil and provides nitrogen to plants. Low-biuret (less than 0.03%) urea is used as a foliar fertilizer. It dissolves in water and is applied to the leaves of plants, especially fruit and citrus.

 

Urea fertilizer has the advantage of providing a high nitrogen content, which is essential in plant metabolism in direct relation to the amount of stems and leaves, which absorb light for photosynthesis. In addition, nitrogen is present in vitamins and proteins, and is related to the protein content of cereals.

 

Urea is adapted to different types of crops. It is necessary for fertilizer, because after harvest the soil loses a lot of nitrogen. Urea grains are applied to the soil, which should be well worked and rich in bacteria. The application can be made at time of planting or sooner. Then, the urea is hydrolyzed and decomposed.

 

Care must be taken in the correct application of urea to soil. If it is applied to the surface, or if not incorporated into the soil either by proper application, rainfall or irrigation, the ammonia vaporizes and the losses are very important. The lack of nitrogen in plants is reflected in a decrease in leaf area and a decline in photosynthetic activity.

 

Foliar Fertilization: Foliar fertilization is an ancient practice, but in general relatively meager amounts are applied in relation to the soil, particularly regarding macronutrients. However, several international records show the use of low biuret urea to reduce the doses of fertilizer applied to soil, without loss of performance, size and fruit quality. Studies in Tucumán show that foliar applications of urea in small quantities are as effective as soil application. This validates the practice of applying fertilizers with other agrochemical applications in addition to an efficient fertilization program.

 

Chemicals and Plastics: Urea is present in adhesives, plastics, resins, inks, pharmaceuticals and the finishes for textiles, paper and metals.

 

Dietary Supplement for Livestock: Urea is mixed into cattle feed and provides nitrogen, which is vital in the formation of proteins.

 

Production of Resins: Resins such as urea-formaldehyde resin have several applications in industry, such as plywood production. They are also used in cosmetics and paints.

We are pleased to present Herschi Trading S.A. de C.V., a supplier of urea:

 

Herschi Trading S.A. de C.V., is a leader in the manufacture of analytical reagents that are precursors in the manufacture of dyes and indicators, standard solutions and high-purity chemicals, including urea.

 

Learn more about the Profile, Products, Address and Phone Number for Herschi Trading S.A. de C.V.

 

Or, contact Herschi Trading SA d CV directly to obtain more information about urea.