Elective Part (Total 48 hours, select any 2 out of 3) Topic XIII Industrial Chemistry (24 hours)

Overview

This topic aims to provide students with opportunities to advance their knowledge and understanding of some fundamental chemistry principles, and to develop an understanding of industrial chemistry. A study of some important industrial processes such as the Haber process, chloroalkali industry and the methanol manufacturing process is required. Students are expected to have a more in-depth understanding of chemical kinetics including activation energy and catalysis. The content of this topic can be linked to the relevant topics in the Compulsory Part.

Through the learning of Industrial Chemistry, students can experience how chemists apply chemistry principles and scientific methods to solve authentic problems in industry, and to optimise the chemical processes. In addition, students should be able to appreciate how chemists make use of computer modelling to simulate and control a chemical plant.

Students should also be able to evaluate the role of chemistry in society from different perspectives, and to develop concepts and understanding of green chemistry for the management and control of the impact of industrial processes on our environment. Students are also expected to develop skills related to quantitative chemistry by constructing and interpreting graphs, and performing calculations.

Students should learn Students should be able to a. Importance of industrial processes

 development of synthetic products for modern ways of living

 discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using industrial processes such as petrochemistry for manufacturing products from social, economic and environmental perspectives

 understand the recent progress in industrial processes such as the production of vitamin C to solve problems of inadequate or shrinking supply of natural products

b. Rate equation

 rate equation determined from experimental results

 understand the interrelationship between reaction rate, rate constant, concentration of reactants and

Students should learn Students should be able to c. Activation energy

 energy profile

 explanation of the effect of temperature change on reaction rate in terms of activation energy

 Arrhenius equation:

 draw an energy profile of a reaction

 explain the relationship between temperature and reaction rate using Maxwell-Boltzmann

distribution curve

 determine the activation energy of a chemical reaction

i. by gathering first-hand experimental data ii. with a given set of data

d. Catalysis and industrial processes

 meaning and characteristics of catalyst

 relation between activation energy and catalysis

 describe the characteristics of catalysts using suitable examples

 understand that catalysts work by providing an alternative reaction route

 describe the effect of catalyst on reversible reactions

 describe the applications of catalysis in industrial processes with examples such as iron in the Haber process and enzymes in the production of alcoholic drinks

Students should learn Students should be able to e. Industrial processes

 conversion of raw materials to consumer products as illustrated by the production of fertilisers

 applications of principles of electrochemistry in industry as exemplified by the processes in the chloroalkali industry

 advancement of industrial processes as exemplified by the conversion of methane to methanol

 social, economic and

environmental considerations of industrial processes

 describe feedstock, principles, reaction

conditions, procedures and products for processes involved in the production of ammonia

 describe the process of the conversion of ammonia to fertilisers

 explain the physicochemical principles involved in the production of ammonia

 explain how industrial processes such as the Haber process often involve a compromise between rate, yield and economic considerations

 describe the importance of fertilisers to our world

 describe the importance of the chloroalkali industry

 explain the underlying chemical principles involved in flowing mercury cell process and membrane cell process of the chloroalkali industry

 describe the importance of methanol

 recognise the significance of the conversion of methane to methanol

 describe feedstock, reaction conditions,

procedures and products for processes involved in the manufacturing of methanol via syngas

 discuss the advancement of the methanol production technology

 discuss social, economic and environmental considerations of industrial processes as

illustrated by the Haber process, the chloroalkali industry or the manufacturing of methanol via syngas

f. Green chemistry

 principles of green chemistry

 green chemistry practices

 describe the relation between sustainable development and green chemistry

 calculate the atom economy of a chemical reaction

 relate principles of green chemistry and practices adopted in the industrial processes as exemplified

Suggested Learning and Teaching Activities

Students are expected to develop the learning outcomes using a variety of learning experiences. Some related examples are:

 performing an experiment to determine the order of reaction for the decolourisation of phenolphthalein in a highly alkaline medium.

 using initial rate method to determine the rate equation of the reaction between sodium thiosulphate and dilute hydrochloric acid.

 performing experiments to determine the activation energy of a chemical reaction.

 designing and performing experiments to investigate ways to change the rate of a reaction with a suitable catalyst.

 performing calculations related to activation energy, percentage yield and atom economy.

 reading articles on the importance of nitrogen fixation.

 reading articles on the latest development of the methanol manufacturing process.

 using computer modelling to study an industrial process and to control the production of a chemical plant.

 analysing an industrial process from scientific, social, economic and environmental perspectives.

 discussing the feasibility of using the principles of green chemistry for daily-life applications of chemistry.

 searching for and presenting information about the greening of acetic acid manufacture.

 reviewing industrial processes using green chemistry principles.

Values and Attitudes

Students are expected to develop, in particular, the following values and attitudes:

 to appreciate the significance of knowledge and understanding of fundamental chemical principles for the production of synthetic materials.

 to value the need for safe transport and storage of hazardous substances such as ammonia, acetic acid, hydrogen, chlorine and sodium hydroxide.

 to show concern for the limited supply of natural products and appreciate the contribution of industrial chemistry to our society.

 to recognise the importance of catalysts in chemical industry.

 to show willingness to adopt green chemistry practices.

STSE Connections

Students are encouraged to appreciate and comprehend issues which reflect the interconnections of science, technology, society and the environment. Related examples are:

 Consumers have a great demand for products such as optical brighteners, but at the same time, the manufacturing process produces effluent, particularly volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and this is not environmentally friendly.

 Chemists developed the process for the mass production of fertilisers to relieve problems related to inadequate supply of food.

 Green chemistry involves the employment of a set of principles that reduces or eliminates the use or generation of hazardous substances in the design, manufacture and application of chemical products. In order to encourage business leaders to choose responsibly between traditional options and green solutions, more environmentally benign alternatives to current materials and technologies must be developed and promoted.

 The fundamental challenge for the chemical industry is to maintain the benefits to the society without overburdening or causing damage to the environment, and this must be done at an acceptable cost.

 Environmental damages were caused by careless disposal or leakage of chemicals in manufacturing processes (e.g. Bhopal Disaster and Minamata mercury poisoning incident) or widespread use of toxic chemicals (e.g. arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, phthalates, PAHs, PBDEs and tributyl tin).