Product highest-volume

Butanol is the highest volume derivative of -butyraldehyde in the United States with nearly twice the production of 2-EH (56% vs. 36.5%). In sharp contrast, in Western Europe, Japan, and all other countries producing butyraldehydes, 2-EH is dominant. 

Butadiene is obtained mainly as a coproduct with other light olefins from steam cracking units for ethylene production. Other sources of butadiene are the catalytic dehydrogenation of butanes and butenes, and dehydration of 1,4-butanediol. Butadiene is a colorless gas with a mild aromatic odor. Its specific gravity is 0.6211 at 20°C and its boiling temperature is -4.4°C. The U.S. production of butadiene reached 4.1 billion pounds in 1997 and it was the 36th highest-volume chemical. ... 

Ammonia is one of the most important inorganic chemicals, exceeded only by sulfuric acid and lime. This colorless gas has an irritating odor, and is very soluble in water, forming a weakly basic solution. Ammonia could be easily liquefied under pressure (liquid ammonia), and it is an important refrigerant. Anhydrous ammonia is a fertilizer by direct application to the soil. Ammonia is obtained by the reaction of hydrogen and atmospheric nitrogen, the synthesis gas for ammonia. The 1994 U.S. ammonia production was approximately 40 billion pounds (sixth highest volume chemical). 

Vinyl acetate is a reactive colorless liquid that polymerizes easily if not stahilized. It is an important monomer for the production of polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl alcohol, and vinyl acetate copolymers. The U.S. production of vinyl acetate, the 40th highest-volume chemical, was approximately 3 hillion pounds in 1994. 

Vinyl chloride is a reactive gas soluble in alcohol hut slightly soluble in water. It is the most important vinyl monomer in the polymer industry. The U.S. production of vinyl chloride, the 16th highest-volume chemical, was approximately 14.8 billion pounds in 1994. 

Acetone is a volatile liquid with a distinct sweet odor. It is miscible with water, alcohols, and many hydrocarbons. For this reason, it is a highly desirable solvent for paints, lacquers, and cellulose acetate. Acetone was the 41st highest volume chemical. The 1994 U.S. production was approximately 2.8 billion pounds. 

Butadiene is mainly obtained as a byproduct from the steam cracking of hydrocarbons and from catalytic cracking. These two sources account for over 90% of butadiene demand. The remainder comes from dehydrogenation of n-butane or n-butene streams (Chapter 3). The 1998 U.S. production of butadiene was approximately 4 billion pounds, and it was the 36th highest-volume chemical. Worldwide butadiene capacity was nearly 20 billion pounds. 

Phenol was the 33rd highest-volume chemical. The 1994 U.S. production of phenol was approximately 4 billion pounds. The current world capacity is approximately 15 billion pounds. Many chemicals and polymers derive from phenol. Approximately 50% of production goes to phenolic resins. Phenol and acetone produce bis-phenol A, an important monomer for epoxy resins and polycarbonates. It is produced by condensing acetone and phenol in the presence of HCI, or by using a cation exchange resin. Figure 10-8 shows the Chiyoda Corp. bisphenol A process. 

HBCD is a brominated aliphatic cyclic hydrocarbon used as a flame retardant in thermal insulation building materials, upholstery textiles, and electronics. In 2001, the world market demand for HBCD was 16,700 tons, from which 9,500 tons was sold in the EU. These figures make HBCD the second highest volume BFR used in Europe [29], HBCD may be used as an alternative for PBDEs in some applications. To date, there are no restrictions on the production or use of HBCD. As a result of their widespread use and their physical and chemical properties, HBCD are now ubiquitous contaminants in the environment and humans [30, 31]. 

Synthetic zeolites and other molecular sieves are important products to a number of companies in the catalysis and adsorption areas and numerous applications, both emerging and well-established, are encouraging the industrial synthesis of the materials. There are currently no more than a few dozen crystalline microporous structures that are widely manufactured for commercial use, in comparison to the hundreds of structures that have been made in the laboratory. See Chapter 2 for details on zeolite structures. The highest volume zeolites manufactured are two of the earliest-discovered materials zeolite A (used extensively as ion exchangers in powdered laundry detergents) and zeolite Y (used in catalytic cracking of gas oil). 

Bisphenol-A (BPA) or 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)propane is one of the highest volume chemicals produced worldwide, with a production volume of approximately 3.8 million tons in 2006 [199]. BPA is mainly used as monomer in the production of polycarbonate and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate is a transparent polymer with a high impact resistance which can be used in different consumer goods such as reusable drinking bottles and food containers. Epoxy resins on the other hand are used as inner coating of food and drink cans. Release and exposure of... 

Production, Import/Export, Use, and Release and Disposal. In 1994, benzene was the 17th highest volume chemical produced in the United States, compared to the 18th and 17th ranks in 1993 and 1992, respectively (C EN 1994 Kirschner 1995 Reisch 1994). In 1994, the U.S. production volume of... 

Compounding is the highest volume use for twin screw extruders. By compounding, we mean the incorporation of one or more additives into a polymer matrix for the purpose of tailoring material properties to Anal product use. There are numerous additives used for a wide range of property enhancements, including stabilizers, lubricants, color concentrates, fillers, and reinforcements. 

Sulfuric acid is the chemical produced in the United States with the highest volume of production. In one of the earliest processes used to make it, an ore containing iron pyrites (FeS2) is roasted... 

The polymer produced in highest volume is polyethylene. Invented by the British, who call it polythene, and put into production in 1939, it could for a long time only be produced by the oxygen-catalyzed polymerization of ethylene at pressures near 40,000 Ib/in.. Such pressures are expensive and dangerous to maintain on an industrial scale. The polyethylene produced has a low density and is used primarily to make film for bags of all types— from sandwich bags to trash can liners. The opaque appearance of polyethylene is due to crystallites, regions of order in the polymer that resemble... 

These problems are based on some of the highest volume and highest value pharmaceutical compounds at the time of writing. In most cases, the desired product is an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), although a few of the problems relate to other compounds used in drug formulation. 

Toluene is a clear, flammable liquid with a sweet odor that is widely used in both the chemical and the pharmaceutical industries. In terms of production, it is the 24th highest volume chemical in the United States. It is derived mainly from petroleum refining and only a small percentage of that produced is used directly. 

Among the xylene isomers p-xylene is commercially the most important and highest volume chemical because p-xylene is the critical feed stock for production of purified ter-ephthalic acid or dimethyl terephthalate which is converted to synthetic fibers. O-xylene is the next important isomer which is used for manufacture of phthalic anhydride. M-xylene is commercially the least important isomer and more often than not it is not separated as a pure product and is sold as a component of mixed xylenes along with ethyl benzene as a solvent or as a thinning agent in the paint industry. 

In Canada, most spills take place on land and this accounts for a high volume of oil spilled. Pipeline spills account for the highest volume of oil spilled. In terms of the actual number of spills, most oil spills happen at petroleum production facilities, wells, production collection facilities, and battery sites. On water, the... 

In this section the most important random copolyether PO-EO structures were presented. Considering the highest production volume, the random copolyethers PO-EO with a MW of 3000-3600 daltons are the most important polyether type produced worldwide, used in continuous flexible slabstock foams, with the highest volume of consumption (of around 78% from the total flexible foams). 

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