Petrochemical
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Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum.[1] Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as corn or sugar cane.
This article focuses on organic compounds that are not burned as fuel (see also Petroleum product).
Two petrochemical classes are olefins including ethylene and propylene, and aromatics including benzene, toluene and xylene isomers. Oil refineries produce olefins and aromatics by fluid catalytic cracking of petroleum fractions. Chemical plants produce olefins by steam cracking of natural gas liquids like ethane and propane. Aromatics are produced by catalytic reforming of naphtha. Olefins and aromatics are the building blocks for a wide range of materials such as solvents, detergents, and adhesives. Olefins are the basis for polymers and oligomers used in plastics, resins, fibers, elastomers, lubricants, and gels.
Global ethylene and propylene production are ~110 million tonnes and ~65 million tonnes per annum respectively. Aromatics production is ~70 million tonnes. The largest petrochemical industries are located in the USA and Western Europe; however, major growth in new production capacity is in the Middle East and Asia. There is substantial inter-regional petrochemical trade.
Primary petrochemicals are divided into three groups depending on their chemical structure:[1]
- Olefins includes ethylene, propylene, and butadiene. Ethylene and propylene are important sources of industrial chemicals and plastics products. Butadiene is used in making synthetic rubber.
- Aromatics includes benzene, toluene, and xylenes. Benzene is a raw material for dyes and synthetic detergents, and benzene and toluene for isocyanates MDI and TDI used in making polyurethanes. Manufacturers use xylenes are used to produce plastics and synthetic fibers.
- Synthesis gas is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen used to make ammonia and methanol. Ammonia is used to make the fertilizer urea and methanol is used as a solvent and chemical inermediate.
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[edit] List of significant petrochemicals and their derivatives
The following is a partial list of the major commercial petrochemicals and their derivatives:
- ethylene - the simplest olefin; used as a chemical feedstock and ripening hormone
- polyethylene - polymerized ethylene
- ethanol - via ethylene hydration (chemical reaction adding water) of ethylene
- ethylene oxide - via ethylene oxidation
- ethylene glycol - via ethylene oxide hydration
- engine coolant - ethylene glycol, water and inhibitor mixture
- polyesters - any of several polymers with ester linkages in the backbone chain
- glycol ethers - via glycol condensation
- ethoxylates
- ethylene glycol - via ethylene oxide hydration
- vinyl acetate
- 1,2-dichloroethane
- trichloroethylene
- tetrachloroethylene - also called perchloroethylene; used as a dry cleaning solvent and degreaser
- vinyl chloride - monomer for polyvinyl chloride
- polyvinyl chloride (PVC) - type of plastic used for piping, tubing, other things
- propylene - used as a monomer and a chemical feedstock
- isopropyl alcohol - 2-propanol; often used as a solvent or rubbing alcohol
- acrylonitrile - useful as a monomer in forming Orlon, ABS
- polypropylene - polymerized propylene
- propylene oxide
- polyol - used in the production of polyurethanes
- propylene glycol - used in engine coolant and aircraft deicer fluid
- glycol ethers - from condensation of glycols
- acrylic acid
- allyl chloride -
- epichlorohydrin - chloro-oxirane; used in epoxy resin formation
- epoxy resins - a type of polymerizing glue from bisphenol A, epichlorohydrin, and some amine
- epichlorohydrin - chloro-oxirane; used in epoxy resin formation
- C4 hydrocarbons - a mixture consisting of butanes, butylenes and butadienes
- isomers of butylene - useful as monomers or co-monomers
- isobutylene - feed for making methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) or monomer for copolymerization with a low percentage of isoprene to make butyl rubber
- 1,3-butadiene - a diene often used as a monomer or co-monomer for polymerization to elastomers such as polybutadiene or a plastic such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)
- synthetic rubbers - synthetic elastomers made of any one or more of several petrochemical (usually) monomers such as 1,3-butadiene, styrene, isobutylene, isoprene, chloroprene; elastomeric polymers are often made with a high percentage of conjugated diene monomers such as 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, or chloroprene
- isomers of butylene - useful as monomers or co-monomers
- higher olefins
- polyolefins such poly-alpha-olefins which are used as lubricants
- alpha-olefins - used as monomers, co-monomers, and other chemical precursors. For example, a small amount of 1-hexene can be copolymerized with ethylene into a more flexible form of polyethylene.
- other higher olefins
- detergent alcohols
- benzene - the simplest aromatic hydrocarbon
- ethylbenzene - made from benzene and ethylene
- styrene made by dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene; used as a monomer
- polystyrenes - polymers with styrene as a monomer
- styrene made by dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene; used as a monomer
- cumene - isopropylbenzene; a feedstock in the cumene process
- phenol - hydroxybenzene; of dassdcten made by the cumene process
- acetone - dimethyl ketone; also often made by the cumene process
- bisphenol A - a type of "double" phenol used in polymerization in epoxy resins and making a common type of polycarbonate
- epoxy resins - a type of polymerizing glue from bisphenol A, epichlorohydrin, and some amine
- polycarbonate - a plastic polymer made from bisphenol A and phosgene (carbonyl dichloride)
- solvents - liquids used for dissolving materials; examples often made from petrochemicals include ethanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, benzene, toluene, xylenes
- cyclohexane - a 6-carbon aliphatic cyclic hydrocarbon sometimes used as a non-polar solvent
- adipic acid - a 6-carbon dicarboxylic acid which can be a precursor used as a co-monomer together with a diamine to form an alternating copolymer form of nylon.
- nylons - types of polyamides, some are alternating copolymers formed from copolymerizing dicarboxylic acid or derivatives with diamines
- caprolactam - a 6-carbon cyclic amide
- nylons - types of polyamides, some are from polymerizing caprolactam
- adipic acid - a 6-carbon dicarboxylic acid which can be a precursor used as a co-monomer together with a diamine to form an alternating copolymer form of nylon.
- nitrobenzene - can be made by single nitration of benzene
- aniline - aminobenzene
- methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) - used as a co-monomer with diols or polyols to form polyurethanes or with di- or polyamines to form polyureas
- aniline - aminobenzene
- alkylbenzene - a general type of aromatic hydrocarbon which can be used as a presursor for a sulfonate surfactant (detergent)
- detergents - often include surfactants types such as alkylbenzenesulfonates and nonylphenol ethoxylates
- chlorobenzene
- ethylbenzene - made from benzene and ethylene
- toluene - methylbenzene; can be a solvent or precursor for other chemicals
- benzene
- toluene diisocyanate (TDI) - used as co-monomers with diols or polyols to form polyurethanes or with di- or polyamines to form polyureas
- polyurethanes - a polymer formed from diisocyanates and diols or polyols
- benzoic acid - carboxybenzene
- mixed xylenes - any of three dimethylbenzene isomers, could be a solvent but more often precursor chemicals
- ortho-xylene - both methyl groups can be oxidized to form (ortho-)phthalic acid
- para-xylene - both methyl groups can be oxidized to form terephthalic acid
- dimethyl terephthalate - can be copolymerized to form certain polyesters
- polyesters - although there can be many types, polyethylene terephthalate is made from petrochemical products and is very widely used.
- purified terephthalic acid - often copolymerized to form polyethylene terephthalate
- dimethyl terephthalate - can be copolymerized to form certain polyesters
[edit] Petrochemicals products
[edit] See also
- Petroleum
- Petroleum products
- Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
- Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b (Matar p. xiii)
[edit] References
- Matar, Sami; Hatch, Lewis Frederic (2001). Chemistry of petrochemical processes (2 ed.). Gulf Professional Publishing. ISBN 0884153150. http://books.google.com/books?id=PR6pujxc68kC&hl=it&source=gbs_navlinks_s.
[edit] External links
- ICIS, Petrochemical, oil and energy commodity price analysis and data
- Petrochemistry in Europe
- Educational resource on petrochemistry
- Article showing some of the basics of a petchem facility
