The Development Of The Chemical Industry
By Israel O Ekundayo
Soon after the Middle Ages, factories supplying soaps, alums, acids and other basic chemicals grew. In 1749, the Lead Chamber process for the commercial manufacture of hydrogentetraoxosulphate (VI) was developed. This initiated a whole new range of the chemical industries. Later in 1791, the Lebanc process for the making of trioxocarbonate(IV) was invented. Extensive industrial chemical research, however, was not in full swing until 1856 when Willian Perkin discovered the first aniline dye. Then, research by teams of scientists became the norm in chemical industry. Now in our society, you will see the raw materials used and how they are converted into the various products that are in great demand.
The chemical industry produces a variety of products, it is useful to classify the industry base on its products. We have chemical industries which produce
* chemical products used as starting materials in other industries that manufacture substances such as fertilizer, paints and explosives;
* basic chemicals such as aids, alkalis salts and organic chemicals;
*chemical products that are used in the manufacture of artificial fibres and plastics; and
*Chemical products such as cosmetics, drugs and soap for our personal use.
The fertilizer industry, for instance, is an important one. Fertilizers are needed to increase crop yield to feed the world's rapidly increasing population.
There are three important elements that must be provided in suitable form in fertilizer production. They are NITROGEN, PHOSPHORUS and POTASSIUM (commonly referred to as N.P.K.) There are different sources to get these important elements of fertilizer production.
Nitrogen is supplied in the form of 'ammonia'. Ammonia is obtained from fuel such as coal or oil that was formed over millions of years from the remains of animals or plants - fossil fuels.
Phosphorus is found in several different forms, it is obtained in nature as rock phosphate. It has to treated to get it in to a form that can be used in fertilizers - It can be treated with hydrogentetraoxosulphate(IV) acid.
Potassium is usually mined from underground deposits. It is a soft silver-white metal.
These three elements namely, Nitrogen compounds, phosphorus compounds and potassium compounds are mixed together in most of the fertilizers used nowadays. The proportions in which they are mixed is usually given as the N.P.K. values.
The chemical industry is founded on a wide variety of raw materials. Some of the most important are coal, molasses, salt, mineral ore, water, air, fat and oil of animal and plant origin. Other important materials are petroleum, natural gas and limestone. All except air are mined from the earth's crust. Salt is obtained mainly from sea water.
The chemical industry is now known as one that makes chemicals from other chemical substances.
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