INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY-I

 

 INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY – I

- Raw Materials Used In Chemical Industries And Their Uses

A chemical industry is one that uses chemistry to make chemicals from other chemical substances (raw materials). These industries are very essential for our economic well being, largely because of the unique and valuable uses of their products. Each of these basic industrial materials is produced through the application of chemistry by chemists and chemical engineers. Examples of chemical industries are textiles, tannery, brewery, bottling company, soaps and detergents, food industries, pharmaceutical industry, petroleum industries, dyes, paints, agrochemicals, fertilizers, pesticides and plastic industry.

Raw materials for chemical industry

The important basic raw materials for the chemical industry are: air, petroleum, natural gas, coal, limestone, sodium chloride, metallic ores and sulphur. All except air are mined from the earth’s crust.

Air is the chief source of oxygen and nitrogen. The latter is used in the manufacture of ammonia by the Harber process. Ammonia is used mainly in the production of fertilizers and trioxonitrate (v) acid.

Petroleum and natural gas is an important raw material for fuels and petrochemicals are made. Petrochemicals are substances manufactured from the by-products of petroleum.

Petroleum : 1. Fuels- petrol, diesel, kerosene

2. Petrochemicals – ethene, ethyne, benzene, toluene, phenol ( Fertilizer, solvent, synthetic rubber, aniline, plastic, paints, drug.

Coal : The chemical derived from coal are by-products of the process by which bituminous coal is converted into coke. The destructive of coal yield fuel gas, ammonia and coal tar. Coal tar contains a number of chemical such as benzene, toluene, phenol, naphthalene and cresols.

Coal: I. Coke- water gas (hydrogen) , producer gas and in production of ethyne and plastic.

         II. Coal gas- ammonia and sulphur

        III. Coal tar- benzene (plastic), Toluene (explosive), Nephthalene (dyes).

Limestone rocks, caves and cliffs exist in many parts of the world. From limestone we get lime or calcium oxide which is used  for making cement and concrete.

Salt or sodium chloride occurs as rock salt in underground deposits and in sea water. Electrolysis of sodium chloride produces chlorine. The other main product is sodium hydroxide which is used in the manufacture of soap and textile, and in petroleum refining. The chlorine is produced can be made to react with hydrocarbons obtained from fossil fuels. These chlorohydrocarbon are versatile raw materials used in  the making of synthetic rubber, insecticides, dry cleaning, paint removers and refrigerant.

Sulphur occurs naturally in some places. It is also obtained as a by-product when sulphide ores of copper or zinc are treated. Most of the sulphur is converted into hydrogentetraoxosulphate (vi) acid.

Important metals such as iron, aluminium and copper are extracted from their respective mineral ores. This has given rise to the metal extraction industries in countries where the ores are available. The metals are used mainly in the construction of buildings and bridges, and in making machines vehicles, ships and aircraft.

Factors that Determines the Site of Chemical Industries

The factors that should be considered in location of chemical industries include:

(i) Nearness of the chemical industry to the raw material or the easy accessibility of raw materials.

(ii) Availability of labour, both skilled and unskilled.

(iii) Abundance of cheap raw materials.

(iv) Cheap and regular supply of fuel for the processing machines.

(v) Transport facilities for export of finished products.

(vi) Markets for the products

(vii) Nearness to market

(viii) Away from residential areas

(ix) Environmental impact and effluent disposal

(x) Taxation and legal restriction

(xi) Government policy

 Importance of Chemical Industries to the Individual

Chemical industries provide employment to the educated individuals (people). They provide job to both skilled and unskilled individuals. They get employed in their areas of specialization. The mechanical Engineers will be employed in the industry‘s mechanic workshop. The laboratory scientist will be employed in their laboratory while the chemists are employed in their quality control section as quality control chemists. Unskilled individual are deployed as messengers and cleaners in the industry. Marketers and business managers are employed in their marketing section for the buying of raw materials and sales of the products. In this way, the standard of these individuals are raised. They use the salary they earned in maintaining themselves and their children by giving them good health care and education.

Importance of Chemical Industries to the Nation

Chemical industries provide job opportunity to the people of a particular nation. Chemical industry helps in rasing the standard of living of a particular nation. It leads to the provision of good roads, electricity and pipe-born water supply in the community. Chemical industry provides better earnings for the nation or community. The products manufactured in the industries are sold to other nations. The nation therefore engages in international trade and earns better income.