What Is Industrial Chemistry?

Before we define industrial chemistry, it may be helpful to know that the development of industrial chemistry started when a need to know how various chemicals are produced in much more than the laboratory scale, arose.  Chemistry knowledge was applied to furnish the rapidly expanding chemical industries with ''recipes'' which we now call chemical processes. Industrial chemistry keeps up with the progress in science and technology. It incorporates other emerging disciplines such as biotechnology, microelectronics, pharmacology and material science. The discipline is also concerned with economics and the need to protect the environment.

We define industrial chemistry as the branch of chemistry which applies physical and chemical procedures towards the transformation of natural raw materials and their derivatives to products that are of benefit to humanity.

Classical chemistry (organic, inorganic and physical chemistry) is very essential for advancing the science of chemistry by discovering and reporting new products, routes and techniques. On the other hand industrial chemistry helps us to close the gap between classical chemistry as it is taught in colleges and universities, and chemistry as it is practiced commercially. The scope of industrial chemistry therefore includes:

·     The exploitation of materials and energy in appropriate scale

·     Application of science and technology to enable humanity experiences the benefits of chemistry in areas such as food production, health and hygiene, shelter, protection, decoration, recreation and entertainment.