Germany carbide industry, development

Although the current source of acetylene is petroleum, it can be manufactured from calcium carbide, a product of the reachon of limestone and coke (carbon). During World War II, Germany, having a shortage of petroleum, used the latter technology to develop a chemical industry based on acetylene. 

The TJ.S.S.R. has been interested in the synthesis for the past ten to fifteen years. However, in spite of exhaustive discussions at the beginning of World War II an agreement with the German industry was not reached. After 1945 Russia continued the development work in Eastern Germany and also continued operation of a part of the Brabag-Plant at Schwarzheide. Russian scientists have also published papers, particularly Eidus and co-workers (93), on the reaction mechanism of the synthesis. Kinetic studies showed that the rate of the synthesis on cobalt, nickel, and iron is greater than the rate of carbiding. 

Around 1920, the first ceramic departments became established at universities and other institutes across Germany. These were not only set up for the specialist education of ceramists, they pushed ahead with further research activities. Above all, the vehicle and communications industries ensured a growing demand for products for which special materials had to be developed. Launched onto the market, for example, were ceramic spark plugs made of sintered alumina (1929), cemented carbide cutting tools (WC, 1930), and capacitors (barium-steatite, 1932). 

In the period before the development of petrochemistry, acetylene was the basis of organic chemistry, as is still the case in some industries today. Calcium carbide, the ideal energy store, can be easily won from coal, lime and electric energy and can be stored in large quantities without difficulty. Similarly acetylene can easily be produced from carbide. A variety of products can then be produced from the acetylene after bringing it together with other elements and compounds. In Germany today about 60% of the total acetylene production is supplied by the petrochemical industry and 40% is still produced in carbide-acetylene plants. 

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