Vacuum Technology In The Chemical Industry

For many economic sectors, the chemical industry is an indispensable supplier of raw materials. The automotive industry, mechanical engineering, plastics, foodstuff, glass, or building materials industries, for example, are all reliant on substances that are produced by the chemical industry. Plastics or synthetic resins, which are used as the basis for coatings or foams, play by far the most important role. These are employed in a countless number of end products that we use daily. Vacuum technology is crucial for a large part of these applications in the chemical industry.

Polycondensation is a chain reaction of small molecule compounds, or monomers. The functional groups of the monomers involved generally react by losing water and becoming long-chain molecules, or polymers. Accordingly, only monomers with at least two functional groups can create chains or networks. The product that is formed at the end of the poly condensation depends on the number and types of functional groups of the reacting monomer. During this process, vacuum technology is used in order to prevent unwanted byproducts of poly condensation. In polymer chemistry, poly condensation is one of the most important processes. It is used to produce plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene or poly carbonate in large quantities. Adhesives are also produced with poly condensation as well as brake pads for automobiles.

Vacuum conditions in the medium vacuum range between 1 and 10 mbar are an essential part of the poly condensation process, especially in the production of high quality plastics. Together with temperature, vacuum technology steers the complete poly condensation process and significantly affects the resulting end product. Even the smallest fluctuations in pressure during the reaction can lead to damage of the end product or even render it unusable. The thermal load is reduced by vacuum during the process, especially with temperature sensitive materials. Without vacuum, the production of certain plastics would not be possible; they would burn.