Dehydrogenation facts for kids

Dehydrogenation is a cool chemical process where hydrogen atoms are taken away from a molecule. Think of it like a molecule "losing" some of its hydrogen. This process is the exact opposite of hydrogenation, where hydrogen is added to a molecule. Scientists use dehydrogenation to change molecules and create new ones.

What is Dehydrogenation?

Dehydrogenation is a chemical reaction that removes hydrogen (H) atoms from an organic molecule. An organic molecule is basically any molecule that contains carbon (C) atoms, usually bonded with hydrogen atoms. When hydrogen is removed, it often creates a double bond or a triple bond between carbon atoms.

Imagine a molecule as a building made of different atoms. Dehydrogenation is like taking out some specific "bricks" (hydrogen atoms) from that building. This can change the shape and properties of the molecule, making it useful for different things.

Why Remove Hydrogen?

Removing hydrogen from a molecule can make it more useful for certain jobs. For example, it can:

• Create double or triple bonds: These bonds are very important in making plastics and other materials.
• Make new chemicals: By changing the structure of a molecule, chemists can create completely new substances with different uses.
• Produce hydrogen gas: Sometimes, the goal is to get the hydrogen gas itself, which can be used as a clean fuel.

How Does it Work?

Dehydrogenation usually needs a little help to happen. It often requires:

• Heat: Heating the molecules gives them energy to break the bonds with hydrogen.
• Catalysts: A catalyst is a special substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being used up itself. Common catalysts for dehydrogenation include metals like platinum, palladium, or nickel. These catalysts help the hydrogen atoms leave the molecule more easily.

The process often happens in special reactors in factories, where conditions like temperature and pressure can be carefully controlled.

Where is it Used?

Dehydrogenation is a very important process in many industries:

• Making plastics: Many plastics, like polyethylene and polypropylene, are made from molecules that have been dehydrogenated to create double bonds. For example, ethane can be dehydrogenated to make ethene, which is a building block for plastics.
• Producing fuels: In the petroleum industry, dehydrogenation is used to make different types of fuels and other valuable chemicals from crude oil.
• Creating rubber: Synthetic rubber, used in tires and many other products, also relies on dehydrogenation reactions.
• Food industry: Sometimes, it's used to change fats and oils, though hydrogenation (the opposite) is more common in this area.

This chemical trick helps us create many of the materials and products we use every day!

Images for kids

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  Dehydrogenation of ammonia borane.

See also