Knowra Chemical feedstock Chemical feedstock A raw material used to manufacture other chemicals. Feedstocks supply the atoms or molecules transformed into products through chemical or biological processes.
Steam cracking : A process that breaks hydrocarbons into smaller molecules, especially ethylene and propylene. It converts naphtha or ethane feedstocks into key building blocks for plastics.
Petrochemical : A chemical made from petroleum or natural gas, often serving as an industrial building block. Many conventional feedstocks are processed into petrochemicals before becoming finished products.
Fossil fuel : A fuel formed from ancient organic matter, including coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Fossil fuels supply much of today's chemical feedstock but are finite and carbon-intensive.
Life-cycle assessment : A method for evaluating environmental impacts across a product's life cycle. It compares feedstock options beyond the emissions released at the factory.
Sustainable aviation fuel : Aviation fuel produced from non-fossil sources and meeting specified sustainability criteria. Its expansion depends on sustainable feedstocks whose supply can meet aviation demand.
Haber process : An industrial process that synthesizes ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen. It turns nitrogen and hydrogen feedstocks into ammonia for fertilizers and chemicals.
Chemical intermediate : A substance produced in one manufacturing step and consumed in a later step to make another substance. Feedstocks often become intermediates before reaching their final chemical products.
Biomass : Renewable biological material from plants, animals, or microorganisms. Biomass can replace fossil carbon as a feedstock, though land and resource constraints matter.
Carbon footprint : The greenhouse-gas emissions associated with an activity, product, or organization. The origin and processing of a feedstock can dominate a chemical product's emissions.
Direct air capture : Technology that removes carbon dioxide directly from ambient air. Using captured atmospheric carbon as feedstock could reduce reliance on fossil carbon.
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