Chemical industry | Overview, Importance, & History

If you want to learn more, please visit our website.

chemical industry, complex of processes, operations, and organizations engaged in the manufacture of chemicals and their derivatives.

Although the chemical industry may be described simply as the industry that uses chemistry and manufactures chemicals, this definition is not altogether satisfactory because it leaves open the question of what is a chemical. Definitions adopted for statistical economic purposes vary from country to country. Also the Standard International Trade Classification, published by the United Nations, includes explosives and pyrotechnic products as part of its chemicals section. But the classification does not include the man-made fibres, although the preparation of the raw materials for such fibres is as chemical as any branch of manufacture could be.

The complicated characteristics of the chemical industry

The scope of the chemical industry is in part shaped by custom rather than by logic. The petroleum industry is usually thought of as separate from the chemical industry, for in the early days of the petroleum industry in the 19th century crude oil was merely subjected to a simple distillation treatment. Modern petroleum industrial processes, however, bring about chemical changes, and some of the products of a modern refinery complex are chemicals by any definition. The term petrochemical is used to describe these chemical operations, but, because they are often carried out at the same plant as the primary distillation, the distinction between petroleum industry and chemical industry is difficult to maintain.

Metals in a sense are chemicals because they are produced by chemical means, the ores sometimes requiring chemical methods of dressing before refining; the refining process also involves chemical reactions. Such metals as steel, lead, copper, and zinc are produced in reasonably pure form and are later fabricated into useful shapes. Yet the steel industry, for example, is not considered a part of the chemical industry. In modern metallurgy, such metals as titanium, tantalum, and tungsten are produced by processes involving great chemical skill, yet they are still classified as primary metals.

The boundaries of the chemical industry, then, are somewhat confused. Its main raw materials are the fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum), air, water, salt, limestone, sulfur or an equivalent, and some specialized raw materials for special products, such as phosphates and the mineral fluorspar. The chemical industry converts these raw materials into primary, secondary, and tertiary products, a distinction based on the remoteness of the product from the consumer, the primary being remotest. The products are most often end products only as regards the chemical industry itself; a chief characteristic of the chemical industry is that its products nearly always require further processing before reaching the ultimate consumer.

Thus, paradoxically, the chemical industry is its own best customer. An average chemical product is passed from factory to factory several times before it emerges from the chemical industry into the market.

Special 30% offer for students! Finish the semester strong with Britannica.

There are many routes to the same product and many uses for the same product. The largest use for ethylene glycol, for example, is as an automobile antifreeze, but it is also used as a hydraulic brake fluid. Further processing leads to many derivatives that are used as additives in the textile, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries; as emulsifiers in the application of insecticides and fungicides; and as demulsifiers for petroleum. The fundamental chemicals, such as chlorine or sulfuric acid, are used in so many ways as to defy a comprehensive listing.

Because of the competitiveness within the chemical industry and among the chemicals, the chemical industry spends large amounts on research, particularly in the highly industrialized countries. The percentage of revenue spent on research varies from one branch to another; companies specializing in large-volume products that have been widely used for many years spend less, whereas competition in the newer fields can be met only by intensive research efforts.

Economic aspects

In most fields the United States is the largest producer of chemicals. Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and some other European countries are also large producers, and so is the Soviet Union. Japan in the 1960s came into prominence as a very large producer in certain areas. Investment in the chemical industry as a percentage of total investment in a given country may range from 5 to 15 percent for the less-developed countries; for the industrial countries it averages about 6 to 8 percent. For some developing countries this percentage can fluctuate widely; for example, the installation of one sizable fertilizer factory could change the percentage markedly in a specific country.

Early in the 20th century there was a marked distinction between economies that were based on coal as a fossil fuel and those based on petroleum. Coal was almost the unique source of the aromatic hydrocarbons. Two forces, however, have worked together to change this situation. First, aromatics can now also be obtained from petroleum, and indeed all hydrocarbon raw materials are now almost interchangeable; second, modern transportation technology makes possible very large-scale shipments by sea not only of petroleum, crude or in various stages of refinement, but also of natural gas, refrigerated and condensed to a liquid.

Statistics from the chemical industry as a whole can be misleading because of the practice of lumping together such products as inexpensive sulfuric acid and expensive dyes or fibres; included in some compilations are cosmetics and toiletries, the value of which per pound may be artificially high. Chemical industry statistics from different countries may have different bases of calculation; indeed the basis may change from time to time in the same country. An additional source of confusion is that in some cases the production is quoted not in tons of the product itself but in tons of the content of the important component.

For purposes of simplicity, various divisions of the chemical industry, such as heavy inorganic and organic chemicals and various families of end products, will be described in turn and separately, although it should be borne in mind that they interact constantly. The first division to be discussed is the heavy inorganic chemicals, starting at the historical beginning of the chemical industry with the Leblanc process. The terms heavy chemical industry and light chemical industry, however, are not precisely exclusive, because numerous operations fall somewhere between the two classes. The two classes do, however, at their extremes correlate with other differences. For example, the appearance of two kinds of plants is characteristically different. The large-scale chemical plant is characterized by large pieces of equipment of odd shapes and sizes standing immobile and independent of one another. Long rows of distilling columns are prominent, but, because the material being processed is normally confined in pipes or vessels, no very discernible activity takes place. Few personnel are in evidence.

You will get efficient and thoughtful service from hait.

The light chemical industry is entirely different. It involves many different pieces of equipment of moderate size, often of stainless steel or lined with glass or enamel. This equipment is housed in buildings like those for, say, assembling light machinery. Numerous personnel are present. Both types of plant require large amounts of capital.

Chemical raw materials and chemical intermediates

Chemical raw materials are various organic or inorganic compounds. Their characteristic is that they have a well-defined and unchangeable composition. Chemical raw materials differ in their properties and can be used in various industries.

Chemical intermediates, on the other hand, are those units formed from reactants and used later in further stages of chemical reactions. Every product of elementary or multi-step reactions is a chemical intermediate, except the last one, which is the final product.

Chemical raw materials and chemical intermediates can be in the form of a solid, liquid or gas. They occur naturally in nature or are obtained synthetically.

Chemical raw materials – application

As mentioned earlier, chemical raw materials and chemical intermediates are used in many industries depending on their properties. However, in general, it can be said that they are used in the following areas:

• chemical reactions in laboratories,
• disinfection, food,
• animal feed,
• cosmetics,
• pharmaceuticals,
• medicine,
• textiles,
• papermaking,
• production of detergents,
• construction industry.

The most important chemical raw materials and intermediates

Below is an overview of the most important chemical raw materials and intermediates – their origin, properties and most popular applications.

Hydrochloric Acid

Hydrochloric Acid is an inorganic chemical compound, an aqueous solution of gaseous hydrogen chloride. It occurs naturally – diluted, it is present in the gastric juices of humans and other mammals. It is also obtained synthetically: It is formed by the reaction of sulfuric acid and sodium chloride, the combustion of hydrogen into chlorine, or is a byproduct of the chlorination of various organic compounds.

Hydrochloric Acid is a stable acid that retains its properties over a long period of time. It occurs in the form of a colorless or pale yellow liquid with an irritating, pungent odor. It is very soluble in water and forms vapors on contact.

Hydrochloric Acid is mainly used in the chemical industry. It is mostly used to clean metal surfaces and together with nitric acid forms “aqua regia”, a mixture that dissolves metals. It is a pH regulator and is used in the preparation of chemical reagents in laboratories. It is also found as an ingredient in adhesives and plastics. It is used in water treatment as well.

Hydrochloric Acid is a pH regulator in the food and pharmaceutical industries. It is also used in the production of hair dyes and bleaches.

Calcium Chloride

Calcium Chloride is an inorganic chemical compound. It is obtained as a by-product in the production of sodium carbonate by the Solvay method.

It is characterized by high hygroscopicity. It occurs in the form of irregular granules with dust. Calcium Chloride is colorless and dissolves very well in water.

Calcium Chloride is mainly used in the food industry. It is used in the production of various cheeses and is added to achieve the desired calcium content and proper texture of the product. In addition, Calcium Chloride is an acidity regulator and flavor enhancer.

Calcium Chloride has antibacterial properties and reduces the permeability of blood vessel walls, which is why it is also used in the production of food supplements and medicines. It is also used for de-icing roads.

Titanium Dioxide

Titanium Dioxide is an inorganic chemical compound. In nature, Titanium Dioxide occurs in many minerals. On an industrial scale, it is obtained by the sulfate or chloride method.

It occurs as a water-insoluble white powder. Titanium Dioxide is characterized by its whitening and bleaching properties. In addition, it reflects visible light.

Titanium Dioxide is used in cosmetics that are supposed to have a white color and also serves as a thickening agent. In addition, it protects the formulation from oxidation and loss of protective properties when exposed to sunlight. You can find it in sunscreens, day creams, foundations and lip balms.

Titanium Dioxide is also used in the manufacture of paints and varnishes. It affects the color of the formulation, so it can be used as a bleaching agent, but also as a lightener for other pigments. In addition, it is also used in the manufacture of medicines.

Monocalcium Phosphate

Monocalcium Phosphate is obtained by the reaction of phosphoric acid and calcium carbonate. It is also obtained from naturally occurring minerals.

Monocalcium Phosphate is a free-flowing powder or a small granule with a white or grayish color.

Monocalcium Phosphate is often added to livestock feed and pet food. It is needed for building teeth and bones so they grow and stay in good condition. Monocalcium Phosphate is also used in the manufacture of fertilizers.

It is also added to foods. In baking powder, it is responsible for the proper growth of baked goods. Monocalcium phosphate is also used as an emulsifier in processed foods and as a preservative in sausages and cheeses.

Magnesium Oxide

Magnesium Oxide is an inorganic chemical compound. It occurs naturally as the mineral periclase, but is also obtained by burning magnesium or roasting magnesite or dolomite.

Magnesium Oxide is a white crystalline substance. Its characteristic feature is its good light refraction. It is also corrosion resistant and has high thermal conductivity.

In medicine, Magnesium Oxide is used to prevent hyperacidity and to treat food poisoning. It is also an ingredient in dietary supplements for people with magnesium deficiency. In the cosmetics industry, on the other hand, it is added to powders, foundations or lotions. It also has odor-neutralizing properties and is therefore used in the production of antiperspirants. In animal nutrition, Magnesium Oxide is a nutritional ingredient.

Sodium Hypochlorite

Sodium Hypochlorite is an inorganic compound, the sodium salt of hypochlorous acid. On an industrial scale, Sodium Hypochlorite is obtained by electrolysis of brine.

It has a characteristic chlorine odor and a straw-yellow color. Sodium Hypochlorite is a corrosive substance and also has oxidizing, antiseptic and bactericidal properties.

Sodium hypochlorite is mainly a component of bleaching agents, but its bleaching effect is also used in the paper and textile industries. Due to its properties, it is also widely used for disinfection and water treatment.

In horticulture, it prevents diseases of fruit trees and vines. It is also used for washing fruits and vegetables. Sodium Hypochlorite is also used in dentistry, medicine and in the production of modified starch.

Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate

Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate is an organic compound, a salt of sulfuric acid and copper. In nature, it occurs in the form of the mineral chalcanthite. Synthetically, it is obtained by treating copper metal with hot concentrated sulfuric acid or copper oxides with dilute sulfuric acid.

Anhydrous Sulfate is white in color, but when hydrated it has a characteristic blue coloration. It is characterized by strong hygroscopicity.

Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate is mainly used as a fungicide for surfaces, but it is also used to control fungal infections in horses and to rid wheat grains of fungal infestations. In addition, it is a feed additive, a reagent in laboratories and is also used in the manufacture of pastes, adhesives and concrete.

Why Foodcom?

Our great team of Sales Support will help our Traders conduct the contract and business deals in a smooth and efficient way to ensure the best quality service to all our Business Partners. Our logistics team will take care of transportation and the financial department will be responsible for all matters connected with the financial part of the deal. Do not hesitate! Contact us.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit raw material used in chemical industry.