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

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

Epoxy Resin Production from Bisphenol A

The high-performance adhesive and composite matrix material

Epoxy resins are produced by the reaction of bisphenol A (BPA) with epichlorohydrin (ECH) to form diglycidyl ether of bisphenol …

Materials Science & Polymers · Global Industrial Scale · $10 billion

Glass Fiber Composite Manufacturing

Reinforcing plastics with spun glass filaments

Glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites are manufactured by combining continuous or chopped glass fibers with thermoset or thermoplastic resin …

Materials Science & Polymers · Global Industrial Scale · $15 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

Nylon 6,6 Production via Polycondensation

The first commercially successful synthetic fiber

Nylon 6,6 is produced by the polycondensation of hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid, forming one of the most important engineering thermoplastics …

Materials Science & Polymers · Global Industrial Scale · $26 billion

Polyethylene Synthesis via Ziegler-Natta Catalysis

The world's most produced plastic material

Polyethylene (PE) is the most produced plastic globally, manufactured through catalytic polymerization of ethylene. Three major grades exist: HDPE (high …

Materials Science & Polymers · Global Industrial Scale · $140 billion

Silicone (PDMS) Manufacturing via Direct Process

The versatile polymer bridging organic and inorganic chemistry

Silicones (polysiloxanes) are produced through the Rochow-Muller direct process, reacting silicon metal with methyl chloride to form methylchlorosilanes, which are …

Materials Science & Polymers · Global Industrial Scale · $20 billion

Vulcanization of Rubber with Sulfur Cross-Linking

Charles Goodyear's discovery that made rubber industrially useful

Vulcanization is the chemical cross-linking of rubber polymer chains with sulfur, transforming soft, sticky raw rubber into a durable, elastic …

Materials Science & Polymers · Global Industrial Scale · $45 billion