Why is achieving a high percentage yield important in industrial processes?

Achieving a high percentage yield is important in industrial processes primarily because it reduces waste and costs. In industrial chemistry, maximizing the yield means that more of the reactants are successfully converted into desired products. This is crucial for several reasons.

When the yield is high, fewer raw materials are wasted. This not only reduces the costs associated with purchasing those raw materials but also minimizes the environmental impact of the process, as less waste leads to lower disposal costs and less pollution. Additionally, a high yield can improve the overall efficiency of the production process, which can translate to higher profitability for companies.

While maximum product purity, reaction conversion, and the use of catalysts are important aspects of chemical processes, they do not directly correlate with the economic benefits tied to high percentage yields in the way that waste reduction and cost efficiency do. Thus, the emphasis on minimizing waste and costs makes high percentage yield a key objective in industrial chemistry.