Fundamental Biochemical and Biotechnological Principles of Biomass Growth and Use 7

example, ethylene (MW 28.05 g mol−^1 ) and propylene (42.08 g mol−^1 ) are available from

hexane (86.18 g mol−^1 ) with a yield of 98% kg kg−^1.

C 6 H 14 →3C 2 H 4 +H 2

C 6 H 14 →2C 3 H 6 +H 2

Already in 1912 the Chemische Fabrik Griesheim-Elektron (later a production

site of Hoechst AG) close to Frankfurt (Germany) tried to find new applications for

ethylene, which was produced by oil refineries in big amounts. Finally, the chemist

Fritz Klatte (1880–1934) synthesized vinyl chloride from acetylene (C 2 H 2 ;synthesized

by dehydrating ethylene) and hydrogen chloride. From 1928 (several companies in

the United States; 1930 BASF in Germany) started production and polymerization to

polyvinylchloride (PVC) on large scale. PVC became the first synthetic material not

starting from any natural building block and a real milestone in chemical innovation,

which had been induced by the availability of a new feedstock. Nylon, patented in 1935

by the chemist Wallace Hume Carothers (1896–1937) at E. I. du Pont de Nemours in

Wilmington (Delaware, USA), turned out to be the next big step in polymer innovation.

The theoretical base of polymer chemistry had been laid at the University of Freiburg

(Germany) by Hermann Staudinger (1881–1965) who received the Nobel Prize in

Chemistry in 1953. Today, polymers represent the biggest chemical product group in a

volume of 241 million tons in 2012 (Statista, 2013). China leads with a market share of

23.9%, followed by Europe (20.4%) and the NAFTA region (19.9%).

With polymers the chemical industry finally left also in the field of bulk chemicals

the level of craftsmanship, which had characterized this industry in the beginning.

From then on science and fast advance in knowledge (documented in patents) became

a primary competitive driver (Table 1.6).

Table 1.6Milestones in chemical innovation.

1900 1920 1940 1960 1980

Pharmaceuticals Salvarsan®

Aspirin®

Antibiotics Birth-control

pill

Anti-AIDS

protease-inhibitor

Paints and

coatings

Acryl

lacquer

Water-based

lacquer

Adhesives Phenolic resin UV-crosslinked

adhesives

Solvent-free

adhesives

Surfactants Biologically

degradable

tensides

Phosphate-free

tenside

Polymers Synthetic

rubber

Viscose

Nylon Teflon

Styropore

Microfibers

Agrochemicals Haber–Bosch

process

Linking herbicide

and plant breeding

Energy Solar cell