What is the Chemical Industry?

The chemical industry, also known as the chemical processing industry, refers generally to the process industry in which chemical methods play a major role in the production process. The chemical industry is an industrial sector that has formed and developed rapidly since the beginning of the 19th century. ^[1]

chemical industry

(Industrial term)

Its internal classification is relatively complicated. In the past, the chemical industry sector was divided into two categories: inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry industry. The former mainly includes acid, alkali, salt, silicic acid,

The chemical industry is a knowledge- and capital-intensive industry. With the development of science and technology, it was originally produced only

Position in the national economy

The development of the chemical industry has a great effect on improving industrial production processes (such as replacing heavy mechanical processes with chemical processes), developing agricultural production, expanding industrial raw materials, consolidating national defense, developing cutting-edge science and technology, improving people's lives and carrying out comprehensive utilization. It is an important part of the national economy.

History and current situation of China's chemical industry Before 1949, China's chemical industry foundation was very weak. Only in Shanghai, Nanjing, Tianjin, Qingdao, Dalian and other coastal cities, there were a small number of chemical plants and some manual workshops. Only a few sulfuric acid, soda ash, chemical fertilizers, rubber products and pharmaceutical preparations can be produced. There is almost no organic chemical industry. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the chemical industry developed rapidly, and chemical mines, chemical fertilizers, acids, alkalis, inorganic salts, synthetic rubber, synthetic fibers, synthetic resins and plastics, organic raw materials, pesticides, dyes, coatings, and photosensitive materials have gradually formed , Rubber products, solvents, auxiliaries and chemical reagents, catalysts and other industries with relatively complete categories.

At present, new technological breakthroughs are brewing in various disciplines of natural sciences and technical sciences. The chemical industry will also enter a new era with major technological breakthroughs such as catalysis, molecular design, lasers and chemical bionics.