Exploratory investigations on the chemistry and technology of fertilizers and salts

Abstract

From this review of exploratory work we can 1) decide to some extent which results of the exploratory work deserve further development and utilization, and 2) arrive at some general views concerning the development of the exploratory investigations. 1. Subjects that require further development and later, possibly, exploitation under manufacturing conditions include: thermal dissociation of calcium phosphates with formation of P2O5; defluorination of phosphates in a fluid bed with natural gas; the process of fusing Kara-Tau phosphorites without use of steam; the preparation of ammonium and potassium metaphosphates of various solubilities; the preparation of ammonium magnesium phosphate monohydrate; the absorption of hydrogen fluoride by solid absorbents such as limestone and nepheline. The theoretical investigations that must be more extensively and thoroughly developed include: a) study of the relation between the agronomic effectiveness of various phosphate compounds and their compositions and structures (with the use of radioactive P and Ca isotopes); b) investigation of the physicochemical conditions for the polymerization of P2O5 and metaphosphates and development of methods for determining the degree of polymerization. 2. The development of exploratory investigations is an important and absorbing task. The important task of the supervisors and teachers is to instill the taste for pioneering, creative, exploratory work.