Chemical Engineering
Regulating air emissions
There have been several recent announcements regarding regulatory changes that affect the chemical process industries (CPI). One of the latest is a set of final rules announced on April 9 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; www.epa.gov) that significantly…
Ion-Exchange Resins: Solutions for a Wide Range of Challenges
A large selection of ion-exchange resins is available today for a constantly growing variety of applications. In order to choose the appropriate resin for a specific application, it is important to carefully evaluate the range of resin and process properties…
A faster way to manufacture bipolar plates
Bipolar plates (BPPs) are a key component in electrolyzers and fuel cells. BPPs include two key components: the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), in a fuel-cell system; and the catalyst-coated membrane (CCM), in an electrolyzer. In a fuel-cell stack, for example,…
A new manufacturing approach for heavy-duty ceramic membranes
Membranes are widely used in a variety of industrial separation processes, but the polymeric materials that make up many membranes are not durable enough to handle extreme conditions, such as processes with low pH or hazardous-metal content. Membrion, Inc. (Seattle,…
Functionalized ceramic particles allow for heat-rejecting coatings
NanoTech Materials Inc. (Houston; www.nanotechmaterials.com) is expanding its commercial partnerships for the use the company’s Insulative Ceramic Particle (ICP) technology, which can be used in fireproof coatings, as well as in a range of applications for roof coatings that lower…
Chementator Briefs
RO Membranes Toray Industries, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan; www.toray.com) has developed a highly durable reverse osmosis (RO) membrane that is said to offer double the resistance to cleaning chemicals of conventional counterparts. This reduces performance degradation from membrane wear and simplifies…
A next-generation membrane for durable fuel cells and electrolyzers
Hydrogen fuel cells and electrolyzers will be crucial technologies as the global energy transition progresses. However, both devices are often hampered by issues with durability and material costs — mainly associated with their membrane elements — which have slowed their…
Storing and processing anhydrous hydrogen chloride as an ionic liquid
Hydrogen chloride is an important byproduct of the chemical industry, with over 9-million ton/yr generated by industrial chlorination processes, such as the production of chloromethanes and polymers (polyurethanes and polycarbonates). Although HCl can be easily recovered by gas scrubbing with…
Electrochemical sensor selectively detects dangerous bacteria
Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt (www.uni-frankfurt.de) and Kiel University (both Germany; www.uni-kiel.de) have developed a new sensor for the detection of bacteria. It is based on a chip with a surface coating that ensures only very specific microorganisms, such as…
Syensqo to open North America’s largest PVDF production plant to serve energy-storage applications
Syensqo broke ground on its future battery-grade polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) facility in Augusta, Georgia. They were joined by Tom Perez, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, and by Giulia Siccardo, Director…