hüdrogenatsioonis

Hüdrogenatsioonis is the Estonian term for hydrogenation. Hydrogenation is a chemical reaction that involves the addition of hydrogen gas to a substance. Typically, this process is used to saturate unsaturated organic compounds, meaning it adds hydrogen atoms across double or triple bonds, converting them into single bonds. This often leads to a change in the physical properties of the substance, such as increasing its saturation, melting point, or stability.

The most common application of hydrogenation is in the food industry, where it is used to solidify liquid vegetable oils, transforming them into semi-solid or solid fats like margarine. This process alters the texture and shelf life of the fats. In the petrochemical industry, hydrogenation is used to upgrade crude oil fractions, for example, in the desulfurization of fuels, where sulfur compounds are removed by reacting them with hydrogen.

Catalysts are almost always employed to facilitate hydrogenation, as the reaction can be slow or require extreme conditions otherwise. Common catalysts include metals like nickel, platinum, and palladium. The specific catalyst and reaction conditions (temperature, pressure) are chosen based on the substrate and the desired outcome. Other applications include the production of pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals, and the treatment of wastewater.