Industrial Applications of Chemistry

80 real-world industrial processes powered by chemistry

All Sectors Pharmaceutical & Drug Manufacturing Petrochemical & Refining Food Processing & Preservation Materials Science & Polymers Electronics & Semiconductors Agriculture & Fertilizers Environmental & Water Treatment Energy & Battery Technology Cosmetics & Personal Care Metallurgy & Metal Processing
All Scales Laboratory Scale Pilot Plant Commercial Production Global Industrial Scale

Hydrogen Fuel Cell (PEMFC) Electrochemistry

Generating electricity from hydrogen with only water as exhaust

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) convert hydrogen and oxygen directly into electricity and water through electrochemical reactions, achieving 50-60% …

Energy & Battery Technology · Commercial Production · $8 billion

PEM Water Electrolysis for Green Hydrogen

Splitting water with renewable electricity for zero-carbon fuel

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity and a solid polymer electrolyte membrane. …

Energy & Battery Technology · Commercial Production · $3 billion

Bioremediation of Petroleum-Contaminated Soil

Using microorganisms to clean up oil spills and fuel leaks

Bioremediation uses naturally occurring or bioaugmented microorganisms to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons in contaminated soil and groundwater. Indigenous bacteria (Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, …

Environmental & Water Treatment · Commercial Production · $1.5 billion

Ozone Water Treatment and Advanced Oxidation

The powerful oxidant for micropollutant destruction

Ozone (O3) treatment is used in drinking water disinfection and advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) to destroy micropollutants including pharmaceuticals, pesticides, …

Environmental & Water Treatment · Commercial Production · $2.5 billion

Carbon Fiber Manufacturing from Polyacrylonitrile

Aerospace-grade material ten times stronger than steel

Carbon fiber is produced by the controlled thermal conversion of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) precursor fiber through oxidation, carbonization, and graphitization steps. …

Materials Science & Polymers · Commercial Production · $5.8 billion

Kevlar (Poly-p-phenylene Terephthalamide) Fiber Production

The aramid fiber five times stronger than steel by weight

Kevlar is a para-aramid fiber produced by the polycondensation of p-phenylenediamine and terephthaloyl chloride in solution, followed by dry-jet wet …

Materials Science & Polymers · Commercial Production · $3.5 billion

Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis for Synthetic Fuels

Converting syngas into liquid hydrocarbons

Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis converts synthesis gas (CO + H₂) into liquid hydrocarbons, producing synthetic fuels and waxes from coal, natural …

Petrochemical & Refining · Commercial Production · $12 billion