Chemical engineering is that branch of engineering about transformations. Through the applied principles of science – chemical engineers pioneer concepts on new materials, design processes, and produce new technologies. The magic of this branch of applied science is about gaining fundamental knowledge about a substance, then using that knowledge to synthesize a solution to an important medical, mechanical, or societal need.
Basically every aspect of our modern world has been impacted by chemical engineering innovations. Everything from the clothes you wear to the car you drive has some link to this field of engineering. Here are just a few of the areas and a few examples of the benefits from chemical engineering.
Health and the sciences
The manipulation of matter to create useful items has been taking place for hundreds of years. Men have used compounds through a number of applications. Chemical engineers have been at the forefront of turning compounds into useful products. Consider these medical culture altering interventions such as fluoride treatment, anesthesia, and bone imagining. There are a number of innovations that resulted from the study of the elements and their reactions to the human body. Chemical engineers continue to improve diagnostic dyes, medications, and even medical equipment.
Plastics
Plastic has transformed the modern world. First created in the 1800s, plastics and their related byproducts serve as food containers, components in cars and home furnishings. Plastics origins were natural, but have expanded into synthetic resultants. Plastics are inexpensive to manufacture and stand as a means of preserving natural resources.
Fibers
True to its method of mimicking the natural work, chemical engineering has revolutionized the world of fiber and fabrics. Where cotton used to be king, the world now has options of rayons, polyesters, and the like. Fabrics can be designed to clothe the body or protect the body. Kevlar vests and titanium are strong enough protect policemen and soldiers. Fibers have helped Olympic athletes perform better by just changing their outfits.
Fuels
Chemical engineering has ushered in several new technologies. Consider the fuels of old – coal and wood. Now, man powers his homes, businesses and vehicles with electricity, nuclear, gas, and solar power. These fuels have been developed and improved through the application of new technologies discovered by chemical engineers. The power of the atom has been manipulated though compounds or through fission or fusion.
Home and Leisure
Home and personal safety has been improved through the use of defensive sprays, smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Life has been more clean and more comfortable with the creation of soaps, toothpastes, storage containers, shampoos, computer parts, plasma screen TVs, and comfortable fabrics. All of these innovations have come about through the experimentation and compound modeling that chemical engineering provides.
The Future
As our world runs low on resources, the public will look to scientists to solve these problems. It will be up to chemical engineers to turn the knowledge into solutions.
As industries seek new products, chemical engineers are called upon to come up with new ideas. As man begins his attempt for deep space exploration, chemical engineers are needed to design fuel systems and life support modules.
Through chemical engineering, useful and novel items are created each day. As knowledge continues to make groundbreaking discoveries about the nature of chemical processes, isotopes and subatomic forces, chemical engineers will be there to apply this new knowledge in the creation of innovative goods.
For more information about chemical engineering, check out the following websites:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5350/is_200309/ai_n21336323
http://web.mit.edu/CHEME/
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ci60008a001
