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…
A pilot project completed at the end of last year demonstrated the ability of a technology to convert a range of feedstocks into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at lower cost than current ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) processes. Universal Fuel Technologies (UniFuel; Los…
Actuators are attached to the control mechanism of a valve to replace a manual lever or handle, and they control the position of a valve (open, closed or specific position) remotely and automatically. In industrial applications, numerous types of actuators…
Understanding the differences among key temperature-control devices, such as heaters, coolers and heat exchangers, allows users to realize their unique benefits When it comes to temperature control in industrial, commercial and residential settings, three key devices are often considered: heat…
Plant Watch Altana scales up production of UV-curing resins and 3D-printing materials April 14, 2025 — Altana AG (Wesel, Germany; www.altana.com) has scaled up the production of ultraviolet (UV) curing resins for industrial additive serial production. The company also started…
Glucose is a key pillar in producing bio-based alternatives to conventional chemicals, but finding industrially viable, non-food-competitive sources for glucose has proven challenging, due to the difficulty in obtaining glucose from hemicellulosic materials, such as woody biomass, in a cost…