Understanding Petrochemicals

الاثنين، 1 يونيو 2015

By Lenna Stockwell


When you hear the word petroleum, most of us think about the gasoline that powers our cars, trucks, vans and other vehicles. However, petroleum is used for many things other than fuel including plastics and pharmaceuticals. Because petroleum is such an important part of our daily lives, it is wise to learn a little bit about this substance.

Petroleum isn't something that was discovered when we invented automobiles, this sticky black, brown or yellow substances has been used for thousands of years. The word is actually made out of the Greek words Petra ("rock) and Oleum ("oil). Ancient Greeks and many other people used this sticky, flammable substance as a source of light as well as using it to cover cuts and gashes, particular on livestock. Greek Fire, a notorious ancient weapon, probably was partially made using petroleum because not only did it burn for a long time, it also burned even if it was in water, so the enemy could not easily stop the fire.

Petroleum is a mix of hydrocarbons, which is a type of organic compound that is made from hydrogen and carbon. Some of the petroleum, such as methane, propane and butane, exists as gases. Other heavier hydrocarbons are in either liquid or solid form. Petroleum also is called a fossil fuel, and while many people believe that petroleum is what remains of ancient dinosaurs, the truth is that petroleum began forming long before dinosaurs roamed the earth and is mostly comprised of algae and other single-celled organisms.

While most people know that petroleum is processed to produce gasoline, there are certainly other important fuels made from petroleum. This includes fuel for jet planes and diesel engines, as well as fuel sources such as kerosene and also butane. Motor oil is yet another substance that comes from refining petroleum. Asphalt, which is used to pave roads, is another product that comes from this sticky substance. It is interesting to note that asphalt has been used for many centuries.

Plastic is another important product that is often produced using petrochemicals, or rather chemicals that are taken from petroleum. Many thermoplastics are made out of petrochemicals. Many products are made out of thermoplastics, including a huge variety of retail product packaging such as food packaging, electronic packaging and medical packaging. A thermoforming company designs many types of customized packaging for its clients by heating up large, thin sheets of plastic and molding them into whatever shape is needed by a client.

There are many common forms of plastic derived from petroleum or rather petrochemicals. Polyvinyl chloride, for example, is one type of plastic that we use to make many products and most people simply just know this as PVC. It commonly is used to make pipes, but also used to produce signs, furniture, shower curtains, flooring and much more. Polystyrene is another petroleum-based plastic and is more commonly known as Styrofoam.




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