Petrochemical

Petrochemicals are chemical products made from petroleum. They can also come from other fossil fuels like coal or natural gas, and from plants such as maize, palm fruit, and sugar cane. These chemicals help make many things we use every day.

The most common petrochemicals are olefins, such as ethylene and propylene, and aromatics, such as benzene, toluene, and xylene. Factories make these by processing petroleum and natural gas liquids. Olefins and aromatics are used to make many materials, like solvents, detergents, adhesives, plastics, resins, and fibers.

Big factories that make petrochemicals are often found in the United States and Western Europe, but they are also growing in the Middle East and Asia. These factories are usually in large industrial areas. Examples include Jubail and Yanbu in Saudi Arabia, Texas and Louisiana in the US, and Teesside in the United Kingdom.

History

Many important chemical discoveries came from experiments and accidents. In 1835, a French chemist found a new solid called polyvinyl chloride. In 1909, a scientist named Leo Hendrik Baekeland created bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic. Later, scientists invented useful materials like synthetic rubber for tires, nylon for clothing, and Teflon for non-stick pans. These discoveries helped start the modern petrochemical industry.

In 1920, the world's first petrochemical plant was built in West Virginia. Since then, many new plastics and materials have been made, changing how we live today.

Olefins

Olefins are important petrochemicals, and ethylene is the simplest one. Ethylene helps make many things, such as plastics like polyethylene and materials like ethanol. Another important olefin is propylene, which is used to make items like polypropylene and solvents such as isopropyl alcohol.

Butene and other higher olefins are also useful. They help create synthetic rubbers and many types of plastics. These chemicals are the building blocks for lots of everyday items we use.

Aromatics

The most important aromatic petrochemicals are called BTX fractions. They include benzene, toluene, and mixed xylenes. These are made from naphtha through a process called fractional distillation. Benzene is the simplest aromatic hydrocarbon and can be used to make many other chemicals. For example, ethylbenzene is made from benzene and ethylene. It can be turned into styrene, which is used to make polystyrenes.

Toluene, another aromatic hydrocarbon, can be used as a solvent or to make other chemicals like toluene diisocyanate. Mixed xylenes include ortho-xylene, meta-xylene, and para-xylene. Para-xylene can be used to make terephthalic acid. This is used to produce polyethylene terephthalate, a type of polyester used in many products.

Main article: BTX