Krevelen

Krevelen is a Dutch surname most prominently associated with the chemist D. W. van Krevelen. He is best known for introducing the van Krevelen diagram, a two-dimensional tool used to analyze and compare organic materials by their elemental composition.

The van Krevelen diagram plots atomic ratios of hydrogen to carbon (H/C) versus oxygen to carbon (O/C) for organic matter. It is widely used in coal chemistry, petrology, and geochemistry to classify samples and to infer chemical changes such as maturation, oxidation, or dehydration. In this diagram, materials with higher H/C tend to plot higher, while higher O/C shifts move points to the right. The diagram helps visualize relationships among different macromolecular components and track alteration pathways under varying environmental or processing conditions.

Beyond the diagram, van Krevelen made significant contributions to polymer science, emphasizing structure–property relationships in polymers. His work helped establish foundational understanding in how molecular structure influences material behavior. He also co-authored a standard reference on polymers that remains influential in education and research within the field.

Today, the term Krevelen in scientific literature most often refers to either the van Krevelen diagram or the contributions of D. W. van Krevelen to polymer and materials science. See also van Krevelen diagram.