Metabolic Explorer (Metex; Clermont-Ferrand; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6900-535) and IFP (Rueil-Malmaison, both France; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6900-536) signed an agreement last month to accelerate the scaleup of Metex’s proprietary technology for producing 1,3-propanediol (PDO). The biological-based process uses glycerin — a byproduct of biodiesel production (CE,…
Asahi Kasei Finechem Co. (Osaka, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6900-538) has commercialized a new type of catalyst for performing asymmetric oxidation reactions. The catalyst is based on ligands having the structure of a chiral-bis-hydroxamic acid (CBHA; diagram), which was first developed by Professor…
Move lots of potentially corrosive gas with this blower Rotron CP regenerative blowers (photo) offer extremely high resistance to corrosion and chemicals encountered in chemical processing applications, such as vent-header offgassing, spot source, biogas or landfill gas,…
Blasch Precision Ceramics (Albany, N.Y.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6899-548) has commercialized one-piece hex-head ferrules made of 99.6% alumina for applications in steam-methane reformers. The high-purity alumina is becoming popular as an alternative to high-grade metal alloys because it is virtually immune to chemical…
Technology for producing nanowires from titanium dioxide, and for fabricating the wires into free-standing membranes and other shapes, is being offered for sale by Intellectual Property Partners LLC (IP2; Atlanta, Ga.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6899-540). The membranes are chemically inert and thermally stable…
Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Racah Institute of Physics (Israel; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6899-539) have succeeded in programming polymer sheets to bend and wrinkle by themselves into prescribed structures, such as domes, saddles and sombrero shapes (photo). Their work, described in…
Glycerin has over 1,500 known end uses, including applications in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food products, with the U.S. market alone demanding around 600-million lb/yr. But over the next two years, biodiesel plants are expected to produce an additional…
Davy Process Technology Ltd. (DPT; London; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6898-531), a Johnson Matthey company, has received the first license of its new glycerin-to-propylene glycol (GTPG) process. The first project, planned for the Ashland/Cargill joint venture (CE, June, p. 10), will produce more than…
A new catalyst that promises to cut the cost of producing biodiesel fuel from vegetable oils and animal fats by 30% has been developed by Victor Lin, a chemistry professor at Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6898-537). The solid catalyst…
Alumina refining by the Bayer process involves the digestion of bauxite ore with caustic soda, which produces “green liquor,†from which alumina is recovered, and a bauxite residue, called red mud, which is stored in large disposal areas. A typical…