History behind Jurong Island

• Formed from the amalgamation of namely Pulau Ayer Chawan, Pulau Ayer Merbau, Pulau Merlimau, Pulau Pesek, Pulau Pesek Kecil, Pulau Sakra and Pulau Seraya, through reclamation of land
• In the late 1960s and early 1970s, three oil companies decided to house their facilities on the islands - Esso in Pulau Ayer Chawan, Singapore Refinery Company in Pulau Merlimau and Mobil Oil in Pulau Pesek.
• During the 1980s, after a decade of rapid industrialisation, the Singapore Government identified chemicals as a sector that could contribute significantly to the nation's economic growth. Industrial land was growing scarce on Singapore mainland and the idea of developing these islands into one colossal island which served as a petrochemicals hub to create more industrial land was conceived
• Jurong Island was officially opened in October 2000

Social and economic reasons for its creation

• Jurong is the 2nd largest oil and fuel storage in the world.
• 70 companies on the island with investments well over S$21 billion.
• Jurong Island embodies the government’s industry cluster
• Strategy, where industrial policy is targeted not at the level of individual industries, but at industry clusters, so as to reap the positive network externality effects.

Vision of wanting to turn Jurong Island into a symbol of national enterprise

• Jurong Island stands as a symbol of our national enterprise. It demonstrates the vision and the will to succeed against all odds which have enabled us to create the world's third largest petrochemical facility out of coral reefs and a scattering of small islands.
• Jurong Island –poised to be a regional hub for chemical storage and production
  Building Jurong Rock Cavern, an underground storage facility in Jurong Island. Plans to excavate the rock, make caverns for storage for oil and petrochemical, and boost Singapore’s position as an oil and petrochemical production and trading hub.
• New investment results from 2005 showed a 19 percent increase in the number of companies on Jurong Island, which presently numbers around 80. Significant projects in oil logistics and biofuels manufacturing have helped fuel the petrochemicals industry. Peter Cremer and Wilmar / Archer Daniels Midland respectively opened Singapore's first two palm oil-derived biodiesel manufacturing plants.
• The nation’s petrochemical industry has experienced rapid growth as a direct result of Singapore’s strong base in petroleum refining. Jurong Island is the center of Singapore’s expanding petrochemicals industry and the island also houses a number of oil storage terminals

PRODUCTION OF POTASSIUM CHLORIDE

-Potassium chloride occurs naturally as sylvite
-Extracted from sylvinite or salt water
-Manufactured by crystallization from solution, flotation or electrostatic separation from suitable minerals
-By-product of the making of nitric acid from potassium nitrate and hydrochloric acid

Definitions:
-Crystallization: natural or artificial) process of formation of solid crystals from a uniform solution. Crystallization is also a chemical solid-liquid separation technique.

-Flotation: chemical method for the separation of mixtures
Relies upon differences in the surface properties of different particles to separate them.

PROPERTIES OF POTASSIUM CHLORIDE

• Metal halide consisting of potassium and chlorine
• Crystalline structure
• Soluble ionic chloride
• Density: 1.987 g/cm3
• Melting point: 776 °C
• Boiling point: 1500 °C

APPLICATIONS OF POTASSIUM CHLORIDE

1. FERTILISERS

Potassium chloride contains 60 % K2O. This gives it a high percentage composition of potassium. Potassium is an essential nutrients for plants and thus potassium chloride being a good source of potassium, is used as a fertiliser. Potassium chloride is also the cheapest and most commonly available potassium fertiliser.

• fertilisers for crops and other plants

2. MANUFACTURE OF POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE

Potassium hydroxide is produced by the electrolysis of potassium chloride brine in electrolytic cells. In normal electrolysis of potassium chloride, hydrogen is produced at one electrode, making the aqueous solution near this electrode basic.

• Cathode reaction: 2 H2O + 2e- -> H2 (g) + 2 OH-
• Anode reaction: 2Cl- -> Cl2 (g) + 2e-

3. MEDICINE

Potassium ions are principal intracellular cations of most body tissues. They participate in a number of essential physiological processes such as maintenance of intracellular tonicity, transmission of nerve impulses,contraction of cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscles and the maintenance of a normal renal function. Potassium chloride is a source of potassium for the body and is used to treat deficiencies of potassium in the human body.

• Treatment of hypokalemia
• For digitalis poisoning
• Electrolyte replenisher

4. MANUFACTURE OF POTASSIUM METAL

The manufacturing of potassium metal is a thermo-chemical process in which molten potassium chloride is reacted with sodium vapour. Potassium chloride is reduced to potassium by reaction with metallic sodium at 850 °C because the potassium is removed by distillation.

• KCl(l) + Na(l) -> NaCl(l) + K(g)

5. FOOD PROCESSING

Potassium chloride is usually used with sodium chloride in food processing because sodium chloride is able to mask the bitter flavour of potassium chloride.

• Salt substitute
• For low sodium diets
• Source of potassium in diet
• Sodium-free substitute for sodium chloride (table salt)

6. JUDICIAL EXECUTION THROUGH LETHAL INJECTION

Used to execute criminals. A series of drugs are administered, with potassium chloride being the final drug.

• Potassium chloride is given at a lethal dose to interrupt the electrical signalling essential to heart functions-> cardiac arrest

PRODUCTION OF POLYVINYL CHLORIDE

• Composed of two simple building blocks:

1. Chlorine (based on common salt)
2. Ethylene (from crude oil)

• The resulting compound, ethylene dichloride, is converted at very high temperatures to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) gas.
• Through the chemical reaction known as polymerisation, VCM becomes a chemically stable powder, polyvinyl chloride.

Definitions:

• Polymerization is a process of reacting monomer molecules together in a chemical reaction to form three-dimensional networks of polymer chains
• monomer is a small molecule that may become chemically bonded to other monomers to form a polymer

TO MAKE POLYVINYL CHLORIDE A USABLE MATERIAL

• combined with selected chemical additives and modifiers to achieve the various properties desired in vinyl end-products.
• the resulting material can be converted into an almost limitless range of applications
• vinyl compound can be used indoors or outside, be crystal clear or opaque, and matched to virtually any colour in the rainbow.
  

Additives: include heat and light stabilizers, colorants, impact modifiers, processing aids and plasticizers.

Plasticizers: used as softening agents and provide low temperature flexibility and weldability These plasticizers versatility and excellent performance prolongs products' service life, gives them resistance, and helps reduce spoilage and waste.

Stabilizers: The principal metals from which stabilizers are made include tin, barium, zinc, calcium and, decreasingly, lead and cadmium. Most stabilizers are used in rigid PVC applications such as construction products thanks to their processability and durability

PROPERTIES OF POLYVINYL CHLORIDE

• Does not rust/corrode
• Tamper resistant
• Resistant to high electrical voltage
• Able to bend without cracking
• Tough, durable
• Chlorine allows it to be an inherent flame retardant
• Moisture resistant

APPLICATIONS OF POLYVINYL CHLORIDE

1. Building materials
Vinyl's toughness and durability make it the most widely used plastic for building and construction applications. Because it will not rust or corrode, vinyl is widely used in water pipe to deliver clean water and in sewer pipe to ensure the integrity of wastewater handling systems. Resistance to high electrical voltage and its ability to bend without cracking make it the leading material for wire and cable insulation

• Roofing Membrane
• Pipes
• Electricity cables, telephone and data cables
• Doors, windows and conservatory frames
  

2. Electrical products
In electrical products, plastics are mainly found in casings and cable sheathings, circuit cards, component capsules, mechanical bearing parts and moving mechanical components, such as wheels and stub shafts. Approximately four percent of plastics used in the electronic industry are PVC and it is mostly used in cable sheathings.

• TV, video, Hi- Fi
• White goods - These include washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and freezers. PVC is commonly found in cables, shelving and door gaskets
• Lamps - Soft PVC is found in cables for light fittings
• Office equipment - In items such as computers and fax/printers plastics are mainly found in casings and cable sheathings
• Telephone - Cables are commonly made of PVC
  

3. Furnishing

• Carpets - Carpet tiles and mats
• Furniture - Imitation leather and furniture film are made from soft PVC
• Inflatable furniture and water beds
• Venetian blinds - These are sometimes made from unplasticised PVC (PVC-u)

4. Packaging
In packaging, vinyl helps to keep food safe and fresh during transportation and on store shelves, and provides tamper-resistant packaging for food, pharmaceuticals and other products.

• disposable bottles (for oil, mineral water, vinegar etc)
• wrapping film
• trays and boxes
• bottles and jars
• blister packaging
• transportation packaging
• the soft inlays in screw top lids and caps are often made from soft PVC and used in glass packaging for foodstuffs.
  

5. Clothing
PVC laminated textile is often used as a water resistant material.

• Aprons
• Shoes - such as soles, labels for logo imprints, imitation leather coatings
• Boots and waders
• Bags - often made from nylon with a PVC coating to make them waterproof
• Clothes - eg trousers and raincoats (for waterproofing )

6. Medical products

• colostomy bags
• cathetersurine bags
• infusion set and blood bags
• gloves

7. Automotive

• body side moldings
• windshield system components
• under-the-hood wiring
• under-the-car abrasion coatings
• floor mats
• dashboards and arm rests

Vinyl is used in many automotive applications because:

• Makes cars last longer - extend the lifespan of the average automobile from 11.5 years in the 1970s to 17 years today.
• Makes cars more affordable - Vinyl is cost effective
• Helps save lives - helps cushion impact during accidents, and its fire retardant capabilities improve the overall safety of the car.
• Conserves fossil fuels - The manufacture of vinyl requires comparatively low energy consumption, cutting the depletion of natural resources, and vinyl's lightness helps reduce the weight of automobiles and thus reduces fuel consumption.