Chemicals

Chemicals are compounds produced by chemical processes that are involved in chemical reactions. A distinction is made between organic and inorganic chemicals, with organic chemicals including petrochemical products. The purity classes of chemicals are decisive for their use in industry and other applications.

Definition
Chemicals are chemical compounds produced in the laboratory or industrially, including pure substances and mixtures of substances. They are essential components in chemical processes and are divided into organic and inorganic chemicals.

Background / Origin
Chemicals are products of chemical reactions produced by laboratory or industrial processes. In this context, the term does not include all chemical elements and compounds, but is limited to those that actively participate in chemical reactions.

Organic chemistry deals with carbon-containing compounds, while inorganic chemistry deals with the other elements of the periodic table and their compounds. A significant part of organic chemistry is petrochemistry, which produces chemical products from crude oil or natural gas. Petrochemicals are obtained by distillation and cracking in refineries.

The classification of chemicals according to purity is important for trade. Low purity technical chemicals are often produced in large quantities, while high purity fine chemicals are less common and are used for specialized applications.

Properties
Chemicals can be divided into organic and inorganic chemicals. Organic chemicals include

- Aromatics
- Alcohols (e.g. ethanol)
- alkenes
- amines
- nitriles
- sulphates
- phosphates
- esters

Inorganic chemicals, on the other hand, include acids and bases such as sulphuric acid and ammonia.

The purity of chemicals is specified in different purity classes, ranging from technical chemicals (low purity) to fine chemicals (high purity). Technical chemicals are often known as heavy chemicals and include basic chemicals that are produced in large quantities.

The physical state of chemicals can be solid, liquid or gaseous and affects the storage and handling of these chemicals.

Application and importance in the market
Chemicals play a central role in industry, particularly in chemical synthesis, as food additives and in the manufacture of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Petrochemicals are essential raw materials in numerous industrial applications.

Compliance with safety regulations is of great importance, especially in the storage and handling of chemicals. The REACH regulation requires registration and a chemical safety report for chemical substances. The CLP Regulation ensures that chemical substances are classified and labeled according to international standards.

Differentiation from similar terms
Chemicals differ from other chemical terms in that they only include compounds that participate in chemical reactions. While organic chemicals describe carbon-containing compounds, inorganic chemicals refer to the remaining elements in the periodic table. Technical chemicals are of a lower degree of purity, in contrast to fine chemicals, which meet high purity requirements.

Summary
Chemicals are compounds produced by chemical processes, divided into organic and inorganic chemicals. The purity classes, important for industrial applications, distinguish between technical and fine chemicals. The aggregate state and chemical compatibility are decisive for safe handling and storage. Chemicals are subject to strict regulations such as the REACH and CLP regulations.