A dual process strategy bridging fermentation and electrochemistry is enabling the production of mid-chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs) — important and valuable precursors to a number of products — using inexpensive organic waste streams from breweries, distilleries and dairies. Developed by…
The extraction of alumina from bauxite is significantly impacted by the silica content of the ore — specifically the presence of silica in kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH)4). This is because traditional bauxite-beneficiation methods, such as washing, flotation and particle-size separation, also typically…
Aggregate — solid materials like sand, gravel and crushed stone — is combined with cement to make concrete, the world’s most widely used human-made material. But sand is in short supply, so there is a need for alternate materials to…
A new facility in Texas to manufacture high-purity graphene powder from acetylene has been announced by HydroGraph Clean Power Inc. (Vancouver, B.C.; www.hydrograph.com). At capacity, the facility will generate thousands of metric tons per year of sp2-bonded powdered graphene with…
Construction is planned for a pilot plant that will demonstrate a modular electrochemical technology for extracting rare-earth elements (REEs) and nickel from industrial wastes, such as coal ash. The startup Blueshift (Boston, Mass.; www.buildblueshift.com) recently announced venture capital funds that…
SUEZ (Paris, France) has commissioned China’s largest industrial membrane-based seawater desalination plant for Wanhua Chemical’s Penglai Industrial Park to support industrial needs while conserving scarce water resources A landmark seawater desalination plant, designed and built by SUEZ for Wanhua Chemical…
DuPont (Wilmington, Del.) announced Qnity Electronics, Inc. as the name of the planned independent Electronics public company that will be created through the intended spin-off of its Electronics business*. As a pure-play electronics materials company, Qnity will be one of…
Stepan Co. (Northbrook, Ill.) announced the start of production at a new alkoxylation facility in Pasadena, Texas, which began in early April. This milestone marks a significant achievement for the startup team, including Stepan employees and contractors, who have collectively…
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany) will expand its production capacity for semiconductor-grade sulfuric acid (H2SO4), which is an essential ultra-pure chemical. The new production facility at its Ludwigshafen site in Germany will feature cutting-edge purity capabilities to serve growing demand for…
Perstorp AB (Malmö, Sweden) and BRB, wholly-owned subsidiaries of PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG), inaugurated a new innovation hub in Shanghai, China. This advanced laboratory will support growth in the region by increasing technical support for customers with a specific…