Olin Library: Chemistry

What do you associate with chemistry? Explosions, innovative materials, plastics, pollution? the public's confused and contradictory conception of chemistry as basic science, industrial producer and polluter contributes to what we present in this book as chemistry's image as an impure science. Historically, chemistry has always been viewed as impure both in terms of its academic status and its role in transforming modern society. While exploring the history of this science we argue for a characteristic philosophical approach that distinguishes chemistry from physics. This reflection leads us to a philosophical stance that we characterise as operational realism. In this new expanded edition we delve deeper into the questions of properties and potentials that are so important for this philosophy that is based on the manipulation of matter rather than the construction of theories.

Industrial Chemistry is a book that brings the subject matter of a chemistry curriculum to life. It examines the major chemistry performed by industry and looks at how such chemical processes affect our lives. In addition, as each process is presented and examined, there is a significant discussion dedicated on the by-products, pollution, necessary waste generated, and attempts to make each process more ecologically friendly, or "greener." It bridges the divide between the basic chemistry that students learn in the undergraduate curriculum, and the broader chemical processes that are used in real life.

Providing readers with the fundamentals of environmental chemistry and a toolbox for putting them into practice, Elements of Environmental Chemistry, Second Edition is a concise, accessible, and hands-on volume designed for students and professionals working in the chemical and environmental sciences. Tutorial in style, this book fully incorporates real-world problems and extensive end-of-chapter problem sets to immerse the reader in the field. Chapters cover mass balance, chemical kinetics, carbon dioxide equilibria, pesticide structures and much more. Extensively revised, updated, and expanded, this Second Edition includes new chapters on atmospheric chemistry, climate change, and polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins, and brominated flame retardants. In addition, new practice problems and a helpful tutorial on organic chemistry names and structures have been added to improve both the scope and accessibility of the book.

Thanks to the progress made in instruments and techniques, the methods in physical chemistry have developed rapidly over the past few decades, making them increasingly valuable for scientists of many disciplines. These two must-have volumes meet the needs of the scientific community for a thorough overview of all the important methods currently used. As such, this work bridges the gap between standard textbooks and review articles, covering a large number of methods, as well as the motivation behind their use. A uniform approach is adopted throughout both volumes, while the critical comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of each method makes this a valuable reference for physical chemists and other scientists working with these techniques.

Sustainable development and environmental issues are at the forefront of public and Government concern. Chemistry and Chemical Engineering may offer the solution to many of these challenges, but chemicals can also be part of the problem. Green chemistry aims to provide environmentally benign products from sustainable resources, using processes that do not harm people or the environment. Aimed at undergraduate and postgraduate students, this introduction to green chemistry encourages new ways of thinking about how products and processes are developed. These include methods of waste minimization, use of renewable feed stocks and the role of catalysis in reducing raw material use. The text is easy to understand and particularly relevant to courses on . It includes case studies and real examples from industry to demonstrate how the techniques work in practice.

Organic Chemistry of Explosives is the first text to bring together the essential methods and routes used for the synthesis of organic explosives in a single volume. Assuming no prior knowledge, the book discusses everything from the simplest mixed acid nitration of toluene, to the complex synthesis of highly energetic caged nitro compounds. Reviews laboratory and industrial methods, which can be used to introduce aliphatic C-nitro, aromatic C-nitro, N-nitro, and nitrate ester functionality into organic compounds Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each synthetic method or route, with scope, limitations, substrate compatibility and other important considerations Features numerous examples in the form of text, reaction diagrams, and tables.