Developments in Germany

L. H. Smith, Sjnthetie Fiber Developments in Germany, Textile Research Institute, New York, 1946, pp. 534—541. 

The synthetic ammonia industry of the latter part of the twentieth century employs only the Haber-Bosch process (12—15), developed in Germany just before World War 1. Development of this process was aided by the concurrent development of a simple catalyzed process for the oxidation of ammonia to nitrate, needed at that time for the explosives industry. N2 and H2 are combined direcdy and equiUbrium is reached under appropriate operating conditions. The resultant gas stream contains ca 20% ammonia. 

H. Hupff, Sjnthetic Fiber Development in Germany, Part II, H. M. Stationery Office, London, U.K., 1945, p. 101. 

The austenitic iron—chromium—nickel alloys were developed in Germany around 1910 in a search for materials for use in pyrometer tubes. Further work led to the widely used versatile 18% chromium—8% nickel steels, the socaHed 18—8. 

A Vinyl-2-Pyrrolidinone. Commonly called vinylpyrrohdinone or VP, Al-vinyl-2-pyrrohdinone was developed in Germany at the beginning of World War 11. It is a clear, colorless Hquid that is miscible in all proportions with water and most organic solvents. It can polymerize slowly by itself but can be easily inhibited by small amounts of ammonia, sodium hydroxide (caustic pellets), or antioxidants such as N,lSf-di-j i -butyl- -phenylenediamine. It... 

First developed in Germany by I. G. Farben (W. Reppe) during the 1930s, PVP was subsequentiy widely used in Germany as a blood-plasma substitute and extender during World War II (69). In the United States, it has been manufactured since 1956 by ISP, and more recentiy by BASF. 

Coal-Tar Pitch Coke. Coal-tar pitch is used to produce needle coke primarily in Japan. Processes for producing needle coke from pitch have also been developed in Germany (4). The key to producing needle coke from coal tar or coal-tar pitch is the removal of the high concentrations of infusible sohds, or material insoluble in quinoline (QI), which are present in the original tar. The QI inhibits the growth of mesophase and results in an isotropic, high CTE coke from coal-tar pitch. After removal of the QI, very anisotropic and low CTE cokes are obtained from coal-tar-based materials. 

Roedig, M., Status of HTR development in Germany. In Proceedings of the Specialists Meeting on The status of graphite development for gas cooled reactors, IAEA-TECDOC-690, Pub. IAEA, Vienna, 1993, 40 43. 

This double decomposition route was developed in Germany and has been used in the UK since 1971. 

Catalysts used in hydrotreatment (hydrodesulfurization, HDS) processes are the same as those developed in Germany for coal hydrogenation during World War II. The catalysts should be sulfur-resistant. The cobalt-molybdenum system supported on alumina was found to be an effective catalyst. 

Polyamides are the second largest group of synthetic fibers after polyesters. However, they were the first synthetic fibers that appeared in the market in 1940. This was the result of the work of W. H. Carothers in USA who developed nylon 66. At about the same time nylon 6 was also developed in Germany by I. G. Farben. Both of these nylons still dominate the market for polyamides. However, due to patent restrictions and raw materials considerations, nylon 66 is most extensively produced in USA and nylon 6 is most extensively produced in Europe. 

Acrylic resin systems developed in Germany are similar to polyester resins but, by careful formulation, the problems due to shrinkage have been largely overcome. The acrylic resin-based systems are currently based on highly flammable materials (flash point 10°C), which can present hazards during laying. However, there are systems available that can take foot traffic 2-3 hours after application and full service conditions within 24 hours, even at very low temperatures. 

Hydrazine was first developed in Germany and became the international product of choice in the late 1940s, during World War II. It was first used in a public utility in the United States in 1950 (Duke Power Company, Charlotte, NC). 

Fixed-bed processes, in which a cooling oil is passed cocurrently with the synthesis gas through the catalyst bed and recirculated to the bed after cooling in an external heat exchanger, have been developed in Germany and the United States, (B7, Cl2, K2, K9). 

I.G. Farben Process. The first continuous mass polystyrene process was developed in Germany by I.G. 

Steam reforming was developed in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century, to produce hydrogen for ammonia synthesis, and was further introduced in the 1930s when natural gas and other hydrocarbon feedstocks such as naphtha became available on a large scale. 

A large program of work on coal liquefaction at the U.S. Bureau of Mines station at Bruceton, Pa., under the direction of H. H. Storch, was stimulated by the pre-war and wartime developments in Germany (49,50,51,52,53). The very extensive studies showed that, with some modification of processing conditions, most U.S. coals could be converted to liquid fuels in acceptable yields... 

A type of parallel plate plastometer developed in Germany it differs from the conventional parallel plate instrument in that it measures the load required to deform the test sample by a specified amount in a fixed time. 

Burkheiser Also known as the sulfite-bisulfite process. A complicated process for removing hydrogen sulfide and ammonia from coal gas by absorption in an aqueous solution containing ammonia, iron oxide, and elemental sulfur. The end products are sulfur and ammonia. Invented by K. Burkheiser in 1907 and developed in Germany in the early 1900s. 

CSA [Catalytic solvent abatement] A process for removing chlorinated solvents from waste gases by catalytic oxidation. Two catalysts are used in series and the products are carbon dioxide, water, and hydrogen chloride. Developed in Germany by Hoechst and Degussa and licensed by Tebodin in The Netherlands. 

Duplex (1) An integrated steelmaking process in which iron is converted to steel in a Bessemer furnace with a basic lining, and the molten product is transferred to a basic lined arc furnace in which the remaining impurities are oxidized. Developed in Germany and widely used there and elsewhere around 1900. 

F-S [Ferrous sulfate] A process for removing ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and hydrogen cyanide from coke-oven gas by scrubbing with aqueous ferrous sulfate solution obtained from steel pickling. A complex series of reactions in various parts of the absorption tower yield ammonium sulfate crystals and hydrogen sulfide (for conversion to sulfur or sulfuric acid) as the end products. Developed in Germany by F. J. Collin A.G. 

Gutehoffnungshiitte [Named after the company of that name in Oberhausen, Germany, now a subsidiary of MAN A.G., Munich] A process for oxidizing methane to formaldehyde, using nitrogen oxides as the oxidant and sodium borate as the catalyst. Operated at atmospheric pressure and 620°C. Developed in Germany during World War II and improved by R Nashan in 1951. 

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