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An introduction to industrial organic chemistry.
The ChemicalEngineering Journal, Elsevier Sequoia S.A. Lausanne. Printed in the Netherlands
Book Reviews An Introduction to Industrial Organic Chemistry. By P. Wiseman. Applied Science Publishers Ltd., London, 1972. x + 337 pp.; price g4.00. This book is intended for students of both chemistry and chemical engineering. It is divided into eight chapters. The first chapter introduces ideas associated with the economics of large scale manufacturing; it also describes the raw materials and processing methods which are used in the industrial manufacture of organic compounds. The following four chapters deal with reactions of alkanes, oxidation, halogen compounds and aromatic substitution. Chapter six deals with some miscellaneous organic reactions and the last two chapters discuss polymerisation reactions and polymer properties. Each chapter deals with the mechanisms of the reactions under discussion and describes industrial routes to commercially important chemicals. The chemical equations are presented clearly. The behaviour of catalysts is discussed in some detail, especially in the sections on the cracking of hydrocarbons and gas-phase oxidation. The text contains a considerable amount ofcommercial data such as current production rates of chemicals, reaction processing conditions and reaction yields. Some of these data will eventually become out of date but they will help students to gain some understanding of the industrial importance of organic compounds. A list of articles for further reading is provided at the back of the book together with an index. We felt that the book would be improved if the index were to be expanded slightly to make cross-referencing more simple. In some sections the author assumes that the reader will already have some knowledge of organic chemistry. Thus, students who are meeting organic chemistry for the first time will need to supplement their study of this book with reference to other texts. The price is a little high for students who do not intend to special& in industrial chemistry. These students may prefer cheaper books which are less comprehensive. However, the book does include material which is not always presented in “competing” books on this subject, for example, the account of the structure and properties of polymers. Thus, some
Chem. Eng. J., 4 (1972)
teachers may decide to adopt the book text. In any event the book does make to the teaching of industrial chemistry copies should appear in the libraries of universities and chemical companies.
as a course a contribution and multiple colleges,
K. G. Mason and B. W. Brooks
Electroplating Engineering Handbook. By A. Kenneth Graham. Van Nostrand Reinhold, London and New York, 3rd. edition, 1971. 845 pp.; price g15.00. The EPE handbook is a very useful publication. It attempts a comprehensive survey of the technology used in electroplating, and in general it succeeds. The authors in the main are some of the leading U.S. experts, and it is unfortunate that their contributions cover the field unevenly. In fact, although the book has been revised twice since 1955 it is still far from up to date in certain’ areas. I would mention specifically the “Plating on Plastics” section which deserves more than a one-page treatment; similarly, the chapter on “Automatic Equipment” is inadequate in that no reference is made to the type of automatic equipment which today interests most electroplaters-the programmed trolley. Again no reference is made to the newer methods of rectifier control although a whole chapter is devoted to generators, which now rarely find application in the electroplating industry. The above are weaknesses, but the book has its strengths. The chapter on electro-chemical machining is very good-a useful short summary with up-to-date references for the man who wants to know more. The chapter on electrophoretics is also a good survey, but fails to some extent because of the absence of references. Generally speaking, the book is well laid out, nicely produced and easy to read. The tables of data are particularly comprehensive. The quality of photographs could, however, be improved. There are very few errors and the headings on pages 109 to 125 are exceptional in this respect. J. E. Entwistle
Book Reviews An Introduction to Industrial Organic Chemistry. By P. Wiseman. Applied Science Publishers Ltd., London, 1972. x + 337 pp.; price g4.00. This book is intended for students of both chemistry and chemical engineering. It is divided into eight chapters. The first chapter introduces ideas associated with the economics of large scale manufacturing; it also describes the raw materials and processing methods which are used in the industrial manufacture of organic compounds. The following four chapters deal with reactions of alkanes, oxidation, halogen compounds and aromatic substitution. Chapter six deals with some miscellaneous organic reactions and the last two chapters discuss polymerisation reactions and polymer properties. Each chapter deals with the mechanisms of the reactions under discussion and describes industrial routes to commercially important chemicals. The chemical equations are presented clearly. The behaviour of catalysts is discussed in some detail, especially in the sections on the cracking of hydrocarbons and gas-phase oxidation. The text contains a considerable amount ofcommercial data such as current production rates of chemicals, reaction processing conditions and reaction yields. Some of these data will eventually become out of date but they will help students to gain some understanding of the industrial importance of organic compounds. A list of articles for further reading is provided at the back of the book together with an index. We felt that the book would be improved if the index were to be expanded slightly to make cross-referencing more simple. In some sections the author assumes that the reader will already have some knowledge of organic chemistry. Thus, students who are meeting organic chemistry for the first time will need to supplement their study of this book with reference to other texts. The price is a little high for students who do not intend to special& in industrial chemistry. These students may prefer cheaper books which are less comprehensive. However, the book does include material which is not always presented in “competing” books on this subject, for example, the account of the structure and properties of polymers. Thus, some
Chem. Eng. J., 4 (1972)
teachers may decide to adopt the book text. In any event the book does make to the teaching of industrial chemistry copies should appear in the libraries of universities and chemical companies.
as a course a contribution and multiple colleges,
K. G. Mason and B. W. Brooks
Electroplating Engineering Handbook. By A. Kenneth Graham. Van Nostrand Reinhold, London and New York, 3rd. edition, 1971. 845 pp.; price g15.00. The EPE handbook is a very useful publication. It attempts a comprehensive survey of the technology used in electroplating, and in general it succeeds. The authors in the main are some of the leading U.S. experts, and it is unfortunate that their contributions cover the field unevenly. In fact, although the book has been revised twice since 1955 it is still far from up to date in certain’ areas. I would mention specifically the “Plating on Plastics” section which deserves more than a one-page treatment; similarly, the chapter on “Automatic Equipment” is inadequate in that no reference is made to the type of automatic equipment which today interests most electroplaters-the programmed trolley. Again no reference is made to the newer methods of rectifier control although a whole chapter is devoted to generators, which now rarely find application in the electroplating industry. The above are weaknesses, but the book has its strengths. The chapter on electro-chemical machining is very good-a useful short summary with up-to-date references for the man who wants to know more. The chapter on electrophoretics is also a good survey, but fails to some extent because of the absence of references. Generally speaking, the book is well laid out, nicely produced and easy to read. The tables of data are particularly comprehensive. The quality of photographs could, however, be improved. There are very few errors and the headings on pages 109 to 125 are exceptional in this respect. J. E. Entwistle