Industrial Applications of Chemistry
80 real-world industrial processes powered by chemistry
Catalytic Reforming for High-Octane Gasoline
Converting low-value naphtha into premium gasoline components
Catalytic reforming converts low-octane naphtha into high-octane reformate for gasoline blending and produces hydrogen as a valuable byproduct. The process …
Crude Oil Fractional Distillation
Separating petroleum into its valuable components
Fractional distillation is the primary process for refining crude oil into usable products. Crude oil is heated to approximately 400 …
Ethylene Oxide Production via Silver-Catalyzed Oxidation
A key intermediate for surfactants and antifreeze
Ethylene oxide (EO) is produced by the direct catalytic oxidation of ethylene over silver catalysts, making it one of the …
PET Polyester Production via Polycondensation
From beverage bottles to textile fibers
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is produced by polycondensation of ethylene glycol with terephthalic acid (PTA). PET is the world's most recycled …
Polyethylene Polymerization
The world's most produced plastic
Polyethylene (PE) is the most produced plastic globally, manufactured through the catalytic polymerization of ethylene. Three major grades are produced: …
Polypropylene Production via Ziegler-Natta Catalysis
The versatile plastic powering modern manufacturing
Polypropylene (PP) is the second most produced plastic globally, valued for its excellent chemical resistance, low density, and versatile mechanical …
Steam Cracking for Ethylene Production
The backbone of the petrochemical industry
Steam cracking is the primary industrial process for producing ethylene, the world's most produced organic chemical. Hydrocarbon feedstocks (ethane, naphtha, …