Inorganic chemistry deals with mineral-based compounds, while organic chemistry focuses on carbon-based compounds. Inorganic chemists study oxides, sulphides, and metals, and work with physicists and engineers on materials science research. They are involved in basic research and practical improvements to synthetic materials, and also work in polymer science and ceramics research. Governments employ inorganic chemists to recover metals from waste streams for aerospace companies.
Inorganic chemistry works with compounds that are largely mineral-based, while organic chemistry is focused on carbon-based compounds usually of biological origin. Although 20,000,000 organic compounds have been identified as of 2011, far fewer inorganic compounds have been identified or produced in the laboratory. Many inorganic compounds are theoretical and do not exist in nature. The inorganic chemist, therefore, is interested in the large group of oxides and sulphides found in the earth’s crust and in the synthesis of new inorganic chemicals. Inorganic chemistry can be loosely defined as involved in the chemical synthesis of any compound other than a carbon atom covalently bonded to another atom of common biological origin, such as oxygen, hydrogen or nitrogen.
Many of the researched inorganic compounds are based on metals such as aluminum, magnesium, sodium, etc. Because the properties of many metals involve their crystalline structure, an inorganic chemist can work in crystallographic research and electronic applications, such as the development of semiconductor-grade silicon. The synthesis of high-quality superconductors, composites and ceramics involves cutting-edge research in inorganic chemistry for the same types of materials.
Because inorganic chemical research focuses on the properties of materials, these scientists associate more with physicists and engineers in industry than with organic chemists, who have closer ties to environmental research and living systems. Chemists who work with inorganic materials are also more likely to be found in laboratories doing basic research in areas such as nuclear power and solid-state electronics, or discovering new catalysts or chemical fuels. When employed by the government or large corporations, an inorganic chemist usually does pure research to identify new compounds and interactions, but is more often concerned with practical improvements to currently manufactured synthetic materials.
The field of materials science research has a greater demand for the inorganic chemical than other traditional fields such as mining and informatics research. Materials science also attracts chemical physicists and engineers who work closely on projects with the inorganic chemist. All of them are dedicated to understanding the properties and structures of materials. The chemist’s role in materials science is to understand these properties so that new compounds can be predicted and synthesized.
Polymer science is a large subset of materials science for an inorganic chemist and involves the synthesis of plastic materials as well as the manufacture of coatings and adhesives. Another small but rapidly growing field is ceramics research, which focuses on the atomic level and high-tech applications such as silicon carbide heat shields for spacecraft and advanced automotive engine and turbine parts. Governments such as the US are now employing inorganic chemists to research methods of recovering metals from waste streams for companies in the aerospace industry that utilize many heavy metals in the manufacture of aircraft bodies and parts.
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