In The News
Series production of organic nanoparticles
Lanxess AG (Leverkusen, Germany; www.lanxess.com) has developed a polymer additive for plastics and rubber that is now available for industrial application. These microgels, which consist of nanoscale organic particles, can be used to improve the material properties of elastomer and…
Ansys software improves cement making
Ansys, Inc. (Southpointe, Pa.; www.ansys.com) today announced that its software is helping aixprocess, a German engineering consultancy, to explore process improvements that will make cement manufacturing more profitable and more environmentally responsible. The business has been investigating replacing traditional fossil…
Technip to ‘Connect’ German refineries
Technip (Paris, France; www.technip.com) has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management contract by Shell for the first phase of its “Connect” project in Germany. By connecting two existing refineries in Godorf and Wesseling Shell will create the largest…
KBR awarded FEED contract by VCNG
KBR (Houston, Tex.; www.kbr.com) has been awarded a contract by Verkhnechonskneftegas (VCNG) to provide front-end engineering and design (FEED) services for the VC FFD Project located in the Eastern Siberia region of Russia. KBR will provide FEED services for a…
Oxea acquires production plant in the Netherlands
Oxea GmbH (Oberhausen, Germany; www.oxea-chemicals.com) has completed the acquisition of assets of the Amsterdam Esters Plant in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V. The acquisition will significantly strengthen Oxea’s position in specialty chemicals and provide both an extension…
Capacity to double for an oil-shale process
Outotec GmbH (Oberursel, Germany), a 100% daughter company of Outotec Oy (Helsinki, Finland; www.outotec.com) has received a €109-million contract for the design, delivery, construction and commissioning of a new oil-shale processing plant to be built in Narva, Estonia for Eesti…
An alternative to chlor-alkali
Earlier this year, NSR Technologies (Decatur, Ill.; www.nsr-tech.com) commercialized its patented process for producing potassium hydroxide (45–50 wt.%) and dilute hydrochloric acid via a membrane separations technology. The company’s flagship production facility in Decatur, Ill. is the first commercial application…
A replacement for Cr+6
Aculon, Inc. (San Diego, Calif.; www.aculon.com) has developed a formulation of its proprietary SAMP technology (Self-Assembled Monolayer of Phosphate) that can be used as an alternative to hexavalent chromium used in primers and conversion coatings to increase the adhesion of…
Chementator briefs for August
Bioplastics DSM Engineering Plastics (Sittard, Netherlands; www.dsm.com) has introduced EcoPaXX, a biobased, high-performance engineering plastic that is said to have a zero carbon footprint (100% carbon neutral from cradle to grave). Approximately 70% of EcoPaXX is made from building blocks…
A silver-based antimicrobial
Pure Bioscience (El Cajon, Calif.; www.purebio.com) has developed silver dihydrogen citrate (SDC), the first antimicrobial approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; Washington, D.C.) in 30 years, with applications in the pharmaceutical, personal care, household, food and textile markets.…