近代中国碱业技术变迁中的“跨国”影响

The Transnational Effects on Technological Changes in Modern China's Alkali Industry

中国天然碱资源丰富,悠远的历史留下了古人用碱和制碱的足迹,近代中国天然碱产业的一度发达绝非一日之功。然而,在跨国碱业巨头卜内门公司强大的市场攻势下,天然碱业溃不成军,本土制碱出现了令人心惊的技术断层。一战形成的机遇期意味着中国探索碱业新技术的起点,这一时期天然碱改制、食盐电解、芒硝制碱和路布兰法等各种技术并行驰骋,中国碱业茁壮成长起来。一战结束,卜内门回归中国市场。在卜内门显而易见的冲击下,天然碱业重新步入萧条,路布兰法饮恨出局,一战的结束成了中国替代产业从契机向危机转变的切分符。在恐惧和梦想的交织下,拯救的希望最终落在苏尔维法制碱技术的突破上。

As a resources - rich country of trona, China has a long history of exploiting trona deposits and the ancient Chinese were familiar with various kinds of trona. The booming trona industry in modem China was built on the basis of long - term exploration. However, the Chinese trona industry had been defeated when competing with the transnational giant ICI Alkali Company. ICI＇s status with near-monopoly was achieved by effective localization. Fortunately, ICI with-drew from Far East market temporarily during the World War I for the sudden cut off sea transportation between Europe and Asia. All types of technologies, including the Leblanc process, the Solvay process and salt electrolysis, flourished during the important strategic opportunity period. However, when ICI reentered Chinese market at the end of the World War 1, local alkali companies bankrupted one after another and the Solvay process had become the last hope for Alkali industry in modem China.