LG Chem, Ltd. (Seoul, South Korea; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5826-545) has developed a direct oxidation process for making terephthalaldehyde (TPAL; terephthalic aldehyde), a key intermediate for dyestuffs, pharmaceuticals, specialty polymers, and other fine chemicals. Because the conversion requires only one reaction step and…
Haldor Topsøe (Lyngby, Denmark; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5826-533) has introduced two new hydroprocessing catalysts, which are based on its proprietary BRIM technology. Both catalysts are nickel-molybdenum types that optimize both hydrogenation at so-called brim sites (situated on the basal-plane of the catalyst) and…
Lanxess Deutschland GmbH (Leverkusen, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5826-548) has commissioned a parallel reactor for the screening of catalysts use in hazardous reactions, such as phosgenation and chlorination, which are commonly used to make fine chemicals. Up to now, existing automated screening devices…
Scientists at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (Calif.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5826-549), Boston College (edlinks.chemengonline.com/5826-550) and MIT (both Mass.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5826-551) have discovered that by heating a single-walled nanotube of carbon to 3,600°F, its strength is increased by 280%. The discovery is expected to…
Total Petrochemicals (Brussels; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5825-531) and UOP LLC (Des Plaines, Ill.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5825-532) plan to construct at Total Petrochemicals site in Feluy, Belgium, a demonstration plant consisting of a UOP/Hydro methanol-to-olefin (MTO) process integrated with a Total Petrochemicals/UOP Olefin Cracking process (OCP)…
Using lithium metal as the anode of secondary Li-ion batteries would double the energy density of conventional batteries, which use anodes based on carbon. However, Li-based anodes suffer from the problem of dendrite crystal formation during the charge and discharge…
CEVP Ltd. (Newhaven, U.K.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5825-544) has developed a fabrication tool that grows carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at room temperature by a process developed by the University of Surrey’s Advanced Technology Institute (ATI; U.K.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5825-545). The NanoGrowth tool is undergoing trials at…
Arkema, Inc. (formerly Atofina Chemicals, Inc.; King of Prussia, Pa.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5825-536) has commercialized a patented technology, based on nitroxide compounds, which can be used to control free-radical polymerization reactions. Each alkoxyamine of the BlocBuilder technology contains a functional group for…
The 135,514 sq.m. of exhibitor booths, plus the 925 tracks, lectures and other conference presentations, that made up the Achema Exhibition-congress presented by Dechema e.V. in Frankfurt this May offered its 180,000 attendees technological wares and information across a remarkably…
Last month, “Series C” funding in the plastic-electronics development company, Plastic Logic Ltd. (Cambridge, U.K.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5825-537), reached $24 million, with the addition of investments from four new companies, including BASF Venture Capital GmbH (Ludwigshafen, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5825-538). Other companies that have…