High-pressure die-cast (HPDC) aluminum alloys cannot normally be heated to high temperatures due to the presence of pores containing entrapped gases, which lead to the formation of surface blisters. CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering (Melbourne, Australia; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7371-548) has found that…
Unidym, Inc., (Menlo Park, Calif.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7371-549) has entered into a joint development agreement with Nippon Kayaku (Tokyo, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7371-550), to integrate their printable transparent electrodes into the Japanese firm’s thin-film photovoltaic cells. It’s expected that Unidym’s transparent, carbon-nanotube-based electrodes (…
GEMÜ GmbH & Co. KG (Ingelfingen-Criesbach, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7371-551) has developed a new EPDM diaphragm for use at high temperatures and steam for the biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries. Service life is said to be up to three times longer compared to…
This fifth in a series of articles [1 – 4] on piping design discusses the practical issues of installation and cleaning. Pipe installation The installation of pipe follows its fabrication and is very frequently a part of it. The…
Flowserve Corp. (Dallas, Tex.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-569) has introduced a new noise-attenuating valve-trim for gaseous applications, one that simultaneously lowers the device’s manufacturing costs while improving its noise reduction capabilities. Like prior noise-attenuation trim, Flowserve’s Valtek Stealth is designed to reduce the…
Scientists from the Center Biology at University College Dublin (Ireland; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-576) and the University of Bologna (Italy; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-577) have developed an enzymatic process that can be applied to the synthesis of chiral pharmaceutical intermediates. The researchers use an enzyme called…
Another corrosion-resistant material deserves a mention In the December 2007 article, The Heat Is On (pp. 24–28) I take issue with the statement next to the Pfaudler photo, “Tantalum and glass-lined steel are the two most corrosion resistant materials used…
Nanostructured microporous carbons containing well-dispersed metal nanoparticles have the potential to improve the performance of fuel cells or catalysis. However, traditional techniques for embedding metal particles in porous carbons (post-synthesis treatment either by impregnation, adsorption, or ion exchange) can lead…
Biotechnology samples, such as proteins, nucleic acids, biological specimens and pharmaceuticals, are typically stored frozen to extend their shelf life. However, a problem that has plagued researchers for decades is that the buffers used to maintain the pH of the…
A team of researchers from MIT’s (Cambridge, Mass.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-540) chemical and mechanical engineering departments, in association with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.), has developed oil-repellent surfaces with likely separations and safety applications for the…