Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry

Abstract

Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry is the fifth completely revised edition of Ullmann's Encyklopaedie der Technischen Chemie, the fourth edition of which was completed in 1984. The fifth edition began with volume Al in 1985 and is expected to be completed in thirty‐six volumes by 1996, three or four volumes appearing each year. A cumulative index will be published each year to provide access to published volumes. This reviewer had volumes A1 through A7 (1985–1986) and the Index to Volumes A1 to A4 (Abrasives to Calcium Sulfate) (1986) available for review. The most noticeable difference between the fourth and fifth editions is “publication of the Encyclopedia in the English language rather than in the German of its predecessors.” (editors' preface to vol. A1) Thus, it can now join the ranks of the other prominent encyclopedia of chemical technology and industry: Kirk‐Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology (Wiley‐Interscience, 3d ed., 1978–84, 25 vols.). Another comprehensive chemical engineering encyclopedia, Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing and Design (John J. McKetta, editor; Dekker, 1976) is incomplete, as of this writing, volume 27 (covering through lectone dimethyl) being the latest to have been published. Since the first edition is incomplete and not as well established in the chemical technology community, the Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing and Design will not be discussed here. Anyone interested in a comparative review of all three encyclopedias is referred to the review by Jay Matley entitled “Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry,” which appeared in Chemical Engineering (vol. 93, no. 8 [28 April 1986]: 95–98). This review will compare the fifth edition of Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry with the third edition of Kirk‐Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology (the two works will be referred to as Ullmann and Kirk‐Othmer, respectively).