Phenol was the compound that started the “Age of Plastics” in which helped improve medical procedures, photography, save elephants and other necessary things. Phenol, also recognized as carbolic acid, is toxic-can cause illnesses and skin defects- and is a white crystalline solid . In its chemical structure, phenol has a benzene ring and is linked to an OH group to make it an aromatic compound. Phenol occurs in nature or it can be man-made like most substances. For example, capsaicin and zingerone (molecules in spices) are categorized as phenols as well as vanilla which has a similar structure to eugenol (cloves) and isoeugenol (nutmeg). These natural phenols often have two or more OH groups connected to the benzene ring. The ones that are polyphenolic compounds-found in green tea or red wine-are said to protect against or treat different types of illnesses. Another way phenol saves or saved lives was thru Lister’s antiseptic during surgeries. He made it possible to sanitize, with carbolic acid, his work area and his patients wound for him to perform operations without any infections interfering. Now, how phenol became a popular substance in plastics that had a major role in the photography industry and the saving of animals for their valuable ivory. Bakelite, an early plastic, was created by Leo Baekeland. It was found to be very useful for billiard balls, but Bakelite was intentionally for the usage of electrical insulators. Many other items have been made from Bakelite since its existence.
Interesting chapter! I can actually imagine the hard time many hospitals had with so much diseases nd sickness spreading around. Nowadays you spray lysol or any other disenfectant and its ok but back then the 'germs' where everywhere no way of stopping them. I learned about the miasma theory which is the "belief that a poisonous gas generated by drains and sewers was carried in the air and that once a patient was infected, this miasma was transferred through the air to other patients. One discovery found by Chardonnet was GERMS!!! What i learned was that the first gas street ligting was put up in 1814 in LONDON!! I learned that phnelo is a 'aromatic molecule" that has a benzene ring..which by the illustration i can tell what it means and it is attched to an oxygen -hydrogen OH group!-it is water soluble annnnd very soluble in oil!
What stood out to me was that billiard balls were once the main cause of the deaths ot millions of elephants. Their tusks contain ivory, the main material needed to make billiards! I didint know that!!With the development of new substances phenol was part of the creation of vanillin, being available from the vanilla orchid! I also learned that Phenol is toxic the same way it was used with carbonic acid to kill the germs, doctors and patients werent able to be exposed to such strong chemical other wise it casues cracking, bleaching, and numbing of the skin!
There are many man made phenols like trichlorophenol and hexylresorcinols and they both have antibacterial properties that are used today as antiseptics. Something that I read and found interesting is that even though picric acid was/is a dye for silk, it is also a triple nitrated phenol and it’s highly explosive. These are a few facts that I learned from reading this chapter of the book and I found them all to be very cool.
Phenol was the compound that started the “Age of Plastics” in which helped improve medical procedures, photography, save elephants and other necessary things. Phenol, also recognized as carbolic acid, is toxic-can cause illnesses and skin defects- and is a white crystalline solid . In its chemical structure, phenol has a benzene ring and is linked to an OH group to make it an aromatic compound. Phenol occurs in nature or it can be man-made like most substances. For example, capsaicin and zingerone (molecules in spices) are categorized as phenols as well as vanilla which has a similar structure to eugenol (cloves) and isoeugenol (nutmeg). These natural phenols often have two or more OH groups connected to the benzene ring. The ones that are polyphenolic compounds-found in green tea or red wine-are said to protect against or treat different types of illnesses. Another way phenol saves or saved lives was thru Lister’s antiseptic during surgeries. He made it possible to sanitize, with carbolic acid, his work area and his patients wound for him to perform operations without any infections interfering. Now, how phenol became a popular substance in plastics that had a major role in the photography industry and the saving of animals for their valuable ivory. Bakelite, an early plastic, was created by Leo Baekeland. It was found to be very useful for billiard balls, but Bakelite was intentionally for the usage of electrical insulators. Many other items have been made from Bakelite since its existence.
ReplyDeleteInteresting chapter! I can actually imagine the hard time many hospitals had with so much diseases nd sickness spreading around. Nowadays you spray lysol or any other disenfectant and its ok but back then the 'germs' where everywhere no way of stopping them. I learned about the miasma theory which is the "belief that a poisonous gas generated by drains and sewers was carried in the air and that once a patient was infected, this miasma was transferred through the air to other patients. One discovery found by Chardonnet was GERMS!!! What i learned was that the first gas street ligting was put up in 1814 in LONDON!! I learned that phnelo is a 'aromatic molecule" that has a benzene ring..which by the illustration i can tell what it means and it is attched to an oxygen -hydrogen OH group!-it is water soluble annnnd very soluble in oil!
ReplyDeleteWhat stood out to me was that billiard balls were once the main cause of the deaths ot millions of elephants. Their tusks contain ivory, the main material needed to make billiards! I didint know that!!With the development of new substances phenol was part of the creation of vanillin, being available from the vanilla orchid! I also learned that Phenol is toxic the same way it was used with carbonic acid to kill the germs, doctors and patients werent able to be exposed to such strong chemical other wise it casues cracking, bleaching, and numbing of the skin!
There are many man made phenols like trichlorophenol and hexylresorcinols and they both have antibacterial properties that are used today as antiseptics. Something that I read and found interesting is that even though picric acid was/is a dye for silk, it is also a triple nitrated phenol and it’s highly explosive.
ReplyDeleteThese are a few facts that I learned from reading this chapter of the book and I found them all to be very cool.