Electrolyzers are the key technology for producing “green” hydrogen using renewable energy. However, a new reactor platform aims to facilitate electrolysis without the need for any external electricity. The Electroless Coupled Exchange Reduction Oxidation technology platform (eXERO), developed by Utility…
Methane pyrolysis catalyst Catalytic methane pyrolysis (CMP) is an attractive route to producing hydrogen, because rather than generating CO2, the process produces solid carbon, which can be made in valuable forms that could offset the cost of hydrogen production. However,…
The prevalence of the various per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — compounds that are notoriously difficult to break down — in the water supply is causing global concern. A new partnership between Element Six (Oxford, U.K.; www.e6.com) and Lummus Technology…
Recycling rates for post-consumer textile waste are very low (<0.5%) because the fabrics often consist of tightly interlaced synthetic and natural fibers that require costly sorting and separation processes, and because they often contain dyes and additives that must be…
A research team at the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science (Charlottesville, Va.; engineering.virginia.edu) is the first to explore how an emerging plant-based material, cellulose nanofibrils, could amplify the benefits of 3D-printed concrete technology. “The improvements we…
Concrete production is responsible for 6–9% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. “The largest contribution to that comes from the production of cement, a precursor product,” says Peter Stemmermann from the Institute for Technical Chemistry (ITC) at the Karlsruhe Institute of…
At Achema 2024 (Frankfurt, Germany; June 10–15), Sulzer Chemtech (Winterthur, Switzerland; www.sulzer.com) revealed MellapakEvo (photo), the latest addition to its structured-packing product family. The MellapakEvo structured packing has been developed to enhance the efficiency and capacity of distillation columns, maximizing…
Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS; www.ikts.fraunhofer.de) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Electron Beam and Plasma Technology (FEP; both Dresden, Germany; www.fep.fraunhofer.de) are introducing an eco-friendly, biologically induced method of producing biogenic construction materials as…
Tanning Agent Södra Skogsägarna (Södra; Växjö, Sweden; www.sodra.com) is investing in a production line at Värö that will create a tanning agent from tree bark. This new tannin can be used to process leather in a more environmentally friendly way,…
Bio-based polymers, such as polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), are seeing increasing application as a more sustainable alternative to fossil-based materials. A new, flexible production platform developed by CJ Biomaterials, Inc. (Woburn, Mass.; www.cjbiomaterials.com) is now enabling the production of PHA in both…