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Phosphorus
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Here’s a structured breakdown of **global phosphorus uses by sector**, in the same style as Aluminum and Silicon: --- ### 📊 Global Phosphorus Uses by Sector #### **1–5: Agriculture & Fertilizers (~70–75%)** 1. **Phosphate Fertilizers (DAP, MAP, TSP, SSP)** – Boost crop yields. 2. **Soil Conditioners** – Improve soil fertility and structure. 3. **Animal Feed Supplements** – Phosphates added to livestock diets. 4. **Aquaculture Feeds** – Nutrition for fish and shrimp farming. 5. **Fertilizer Blends & Compounds** – Mixed with nitrogen and potassium (NPK). --- #### **6–10: Chemicals & Industrial Processing (~10–15%)** 6. **Phosphoric Acid Production** – Base chemical for many phosphates. 7. **Detergents & Cleaning Agents** – Phosphates improve cleaning power. 8. **Water Treatment Chemicals** – Prevent scaling and corrosion. 9. **Flame Retardants (Phosphates)** – Plastics, textiles, electronics. 10. **Metal Treatment & Surface Coatings** – Phosphate coatings to resist corrosion. --- #### **11–15: Food & Beverages (~5–7%)** 11. **Food Additives (Phosphates)** – Stabilizers, emulsifiers in processed foods. 12. **Baking Powder & Leavening Agents** – Sodium phosphate in baking. 13. **Meat & Seafood Processing** – Improves texture and water retention. 14. **Dairy Products** – Phosphates in cheese and milk powder. 15. **Beverages & Soft Drinks** – Phosphoric acid as an acidulant in colas. --- #### **16–20: Specialty & Emerging Applications (~3–5%)** 16. **Matches & Pyrotechnics** – Red phosphorus in safety matches and fireworks. 17. **Pesticides & Herbicides** – Organophosphates (though declining due to toxicity). 18. **Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄) Batteries** – Safer, stable cathode material. 19. **Pharmaceuticals & Medicine** – Phosphate-based drugs, DNA/RNA biochemistry. 20. **Semiconductors & LEDs (Doping Agent)** – Phosphorus as a dopant in electronics. --- 💡 **Summary of Approximate Shares by Sector** | Sector | % of Global Phosphorus Use | | ------------------------- | -------------------------- | | Agriculture & Fertilizers | 70–75% | | Chemicals & Industrial | 10–15% | | Food & Beverages | 5–7% | | Specialty & Emerging | 3–5% | --- Would you like me to also create the **matching pie chart + bar chart infographic** for Phosphorus, so it stays consistent with the Aluminum and Silicon breakdowns?Known Methods of Extraction
Excellent 👍 — next in order is **Phosphorus (P, atomic number 15).** Phosphorus never occurs free in nature (too reactive). It’s bound in minerals like **apatite \[Ca₅(PO₄)₃(F,Cl,OH)]** and in organic matter. Historically, it was first isolated from **urine** in the 17th century. Today, most phosphorus is produced from **phosphate rock reduction in electric furnaces.** Here are the **20 most common methods of extracting Phosphorus**: --- # **20 Most Common Methods of Extracting Phosphorus** ### **A. Industrial / Large-Scale Processes** 1. **Electric Arc Furnace Reduction of Phosphate Rock with Coke + Silica** – Main method today; yields elemental phosphorus vapor, later condensed (produces white phosphorus). 2. **Thermal Reduction of Apatite with Coke + Sand (Blast Furnace Type)** – Early industrial variant of the arc method. 3. **Electrothermal Process Using Phosphate Ore** – Large-scale process similar to arc reduction, but more controlled. 4. **Submerged-Arc Furnace Phosphorus Production** – Standard industrial setup. 5. **Carbothermic Reduction of Phosphoric Acid with Coke** – Produces P₄ and CO. 6. **Reduction of Calcium Phosphate with Silicon in Electric Furnace** – Used in some industrial plants. --- ### **B. Historical Methods** 7. **Urine Distillation (Brand’s Method, 1669)** – The first discovery: heating large volumes of urine → phosphates → reduction → phosphorus. 8. **Bone Ash Reduction (18th–19th Century)** – Heating animal bones (calcium phosphate) with carbon and sand. 9. **Reduction of Sodium Phosphate with Charcoal** – Used in early chemistry labs. 10. **Reduction of Ammonium Phosphate Salts with Carbon** – Laboratory-scale production. 11. **Reduction of Phosphoric Acid with Charcoal in Clay Retorts** – 19th-century technique. --- ### **C. Chemical Reduction Methods** 12. **Reduction of Calcium Phosphate with Aluminum Powder (Aluminothermic)** – Produces phosphorus + alumina. 13. **Reduction of Sodium Hexametaphosphate with Magnesium** – Lab-scale route. 14. **Reduction of Phosphates with Iron Silicide (Ferrosilicon)** – Variant of the electric furnace process. 15. **Reduction of Ammonium Phosphate with Hydrogen at High Temp** – Produces elemental phosphorus. --- ### **D. Specialized / Modern / Research Approaches** 16. **Electrolysis of Molten Phosphates** – Research into producing phosphorus directly without carbon. 17. **Electrochemical Reduction of Phosphates in Ionic Liquids** – Experimental green method. 18. **Plasma Reduction of Phosphate Rock** – Uses plasma torches for energy efficiency. 19. **Biophosphate Recovery from Sewage / Wastewater** – Struvite (MgNH₄PO₄·6H₂O) recovery, then reduced to phosphorus. 20. **Solar-Thermal Carbothermic Reduction of Phosphates** – Uses concentrated solar energy to reduce phosphates into P₄. --- ✅ **Summary:** * **Today’s main method:** Electric arc furnace reduction of phosphate rock with silica + coke → elemental phosphorus (P₄). * **Historic methods:** urine distillation, bone ash, phosphate reduction with carbon. * **Research trends:** electrochemical extraction, plasma reduction, biophosphate recycling, solar carbothermic. * **Forms produced:** Typically **white phosphorus (P₄)**, later converted to red or black phosphorus for safer use. --- Next in line is **Sulfur (S, atomic number 16).** Would you like me to go ahead and list the **20 extraction methods for Sulfur**?
