Lime – A versatile raw material for chemical applications

All about lime

Lime - a fascinating raw material

Lime is a fascinating and highly versatile raw material. People have been using lime as a building material for more than 14,000 years. Over time, an ever-broadening range of uses and applications has been discovered. Today, lime is used in many areas of life: in the construction of houses and roads, in the production of glass and plastic materials and in hygiene products, as well as jewelry and food.

The chemical industry uses lime, too. For example, it is used to produce citric acid, polyvalent alcohols and synthetic plasters. It is also used as a reactant in chemical synthesis or to change the pH value. Lime is truly a versatile material.

What is lime, chemically speaking?

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which is the scientific name for limestone, is a chemical compound of calcium, carbon and oxygen that occurs naturally in various forms. It is one of the most common compounds in the world. Mountain ranges, coral reefs and stalactite caves consist largely of limestone.

Calcium carbonate occurs naturally in various different forms. The rocks are chemically identical, but vary in other ways. For example, two specific types of limestone are marble and chalk.

Lime Products

We offer a wide range of lime products and lime mixtures

Lime Products

Different Lime products: limestone, white lime hydrate and unslaked lime

Lime Mixtures

High-quality lime-based mixtures, individually manufactured

Whitewash

Whitewash in different concentrations

Applications

Different products, different uses

There are many different uses for lime. The calcium carbonate is used either in its original form, or in refined form as quicklime. Quicklime is divided into calcium oxide (unslaked lime or unslaked quicklime) and calcium hydroxide (slaked lime, white lime hydrate or lime hydrate).

A further stage of refinement results in whitewash (potassium hydroxide solution).