Industrial Applications of Chemistry
80 real-world industrial processes powered by chemistry
Aluminum Smelting by Hall-Heroult Electrolysis
Producing the lightweight metal through molten salt electrolysis
Aluminum is produced by electrolysis of alumina (Al₂O₃) dissolved in molten cryolite (Na₃AlF₆) at 960 degrees C — the Hall-Heroult …
Copper Electrorefining for High-Purity Metal
Purifying copper to 99.99% for electrical applications
Copper electrorefining purifies blister copper (99% Cu) to cathode copper (99.99% Cu) by electrolysis in acidic copper sulfate solution. Impure …
Electroplating for Surface Finishing (Chrome, Nickel, Zinc)
Depositing thin metal coatings for protection and aesthetics
Electroplating deposits a thin layer of metal onto a conductive substrate using electrolysis, providing corrosion protection, wear resistance, and decorative …
Gold Extraction by Cyanide Leaching
Dissolving gold from ore using chemistry discovered in 1887
Gold cyanidation dissolves gold from crushed ore using dilute sodium cyanide solution, a process patented by MacArthur and Forrest in …
Iron Smelting in a Blast Furnace
The foundation of steel production and industrial civilization
The blast furnace reduces iron ore (hematite, Fe₂O₃) to pig iron using coke as both fuel and reducing agent. This …
Stainless Steel Production by Electric Arc Furnace
Alloying iron with chromium for corrosion resistance
Stainless steel is produced by melting scrap steel and ferroalloys in an electric arc furnace (EAF), followed by refining in …
Titanium Production by the Kroll Process
Extracting the aerospace metal from its extremely stable oxide
Titanium metal is produced by the Kroll process — reduction of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl₄) with magnesium in an inert atmosphere. …
Zinc Electrolytic Refining from Sulfide Ore
The fourth most consumed metal produced by electrowinning
Zinc is the fourth most consumed metal globally, primarily produced by the roast-leach-electrowin (RLE) process from zinc sulfide (sphalerite) ore. …